Octopus Vitality is made up of 1000+ implausible folks engaged on stuff you’d by no means count on, all pushing exhausting in the direction of a shared aim: driving the worldwide inexperienced power revolution. In our Highlight collection, we’ll introduce you to a number of the sensible folks behind the scenes.
Launched in 2017, Octopus Electrical Automobiles (OEV) is the UK’s go-to Electrical Car specialist, with an finish to finish providing together with automobile leasing, EV cost factors and wonderful OE sensible tariffs all completed in home. Their aim is to empower folks to make the swap to electrical automobiles, with a pleasant method that at all times places the client first.
I had a chat with Gurjeet, their sensible Director of Operations, to debate what it’s like being on the forefront of the way forward for transportation.
Samsam: Are you able to describe precisely what Octopus EV does?
At our core, we make the transition to electrical autos simpler for people and companies.
Gurjeet: Our core product is Wage Sacrifice (like Cycle to Work) and we function in different areas too. Throughout these, it’s actually essential to us to supply a holistic expertise so we deal with your entire journey for patrons, ranging from getting them into their excellent EV, putting in a fab charging level after which signing them as much as one in all our specialist tariffs to energy their automobile with inexperienced power. We’re distinctive in with the ability to do all of this in home to make sure a seamless buyer expertise. Importantly, we’re an impartial firm and may due to this fact present sincere suggestions and proposals to our clients and actually take care of them.
Samsam: Inform me a little bit about your position at Octopus?
Gurjeet: I’m the Director of Operations at Octopus Electrical Automobiles. My position is to work alongside and allow my groups to construct and develop an operationally sound enterprise in order that our clients have an incredible expertise as we assist them transition to electrical transport. After I first joined, our EV division was testing out completely different working fashions. We’re now a totally fledged enterprise ordering and delivering lots of of automobiles a month to our clients.
My days are actually assorted as a result of my operations groups cowl a lot from Buyer Operations to Account Administration and Procurement. At one level, I could be engaged on constructing out processes for our groups as we develop. Subsequent, I could be brainstorming on how we offer higher automobile servicing experiences by our companions. One other second, I might be working with my staff to barter giant quantity offers with automobile producers to safe inventory for patrons. I really like the variability and dealing with nice folks in so many areas.
Samsam: What drew you to OEV initially?
Gurjeet: Sustainability is extremely essential to me and I wished to be part of the essential motion to guard our planet and lead the trail to Web Zero. It was additionally an unbelievable alternative to turn into part of the Octopus Vitality household and work instantly with clients utilizing an unbelievable tech platform, alongside a staff of wonderful folks led by Fiona, who I’m very pleased I get to work with.
Samsam: The EV staff has grown massively up to now few years, are you able to inform me a little bit about what it’s like being part of this quickly rising staff?
Gurjeet: After we first began we have been all doing 10 completely different jobs and it didn’t matter whether or not you have been the director or anybody else; everybody was chipping in and supporting clients. Our one fixed is that it’s a must to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get caught into issues.
The magic of Octopus is that we’re all about encouraging folks to find out about one thing they could by no means have completed earlier than and giving them full autonomy to thrive.
We’re rising actually quick every month, so working right here is quick paced. Days might be hectic however we’re all actually collaborative and take care of one another. Now we have an incredible collegiate tradition, which we’re very happy with. It’s wonderful to suppose that we began with a tiny staff and now we have grown exponentially with sensible people who find themselves so captivated with serving to construct OEV.
The sensible, fledging OEV Workforce at an EV Drive Day in 2018, vs the huge and rising staff in 2021, in entrance of their full vary of 35 EV fashions
I’m tremendous happy with the group of folks that we have assembled, who do phenomenal work and ship an distinctive expertise to our clients.
Samsam: What’s the greatest journey you’ve gotten taken together with your EV?
Gurjeet: I’ve obtained a Tesla Mannequin 3, which is an incredible automobile and I drive it on a regular basis so I’ve pushed it all around the nation over the previous few years. Though, if I needed to choose – heading out to the gorgeous New Forest and being in nature. I obtained to see some native ponies who have been unawares of my (very) quiet automobile! And 0 emissions from my journey was the icing on the cake.
Samsam: What’s one factor you want extra folks knew about EV’s?
It’s so simple to climb into the automobile and drive with out having to fret about vary, as a full cost will simply final per week.
Gurjeet: We’re all about fantasy busting at OEV. There are nonetheless misconceptions on the operating value of EVs or battery vary and charging. It is wonderful how a lot you save whenever you cease paying for petrol or diesel! Battery know-how has come a good distance and now you may journey lengthy distances on a single cost and not using a fear. For instance, I can comfortably drive 200 miles on a full battery. For plenty of folks this can imply solely charging your automobile as soon as per week. It’s so simple to climb into the automobile and drive with out having to fret about vary. All it’s a must to do is plug the automobile in to high up when you want to, similar to you’d a telephone. To not point out, the charging infrastructure has come on leaps and bounds, with charging factors popping up in all places. Octopus can also be simplifying that have with Electrical Universe, which at all times will get rave evaluations. We’re engaged on ensuring everybody is aware of about this!
Right this moment there are extra locations to cost your automobile publicly than there are petrol stations within the UK. How cool is that?
Samsam: What’s your greatest Octopus reminiscence?
Unique Octopus EV staff members at one in all their earliest occasions
Gurjeet: If I needed to choose it will be the early days of organising our personal take a look at drives each weekend. I keep in mind bodily slicing out all the decorations and data banners in a tent. We did that on weekends for the total first yr, and people reminiscences of the early days are what I cherish essentially the most. I additionally love once we ship automobiles to our clients and see their pleasure and pleasure.
Now we have obtained some wonderful suggestions which is at all times actually significant to me as a result of it reveals we’re having the influence we wish to have. It is the rationale I’m right here.
Only one the numerous nice evaluations for the Electrical Automobiles Workforce
Samsam: What’s the most enjoyable factor arising within the EV World?
Gurjeet: Car 2 Grid know-how, our PowerLoop mission, is really groundbreaking and has the potential to completely rework the way in which we take into consideration electrical energy distribution and consumption. This leading edge know-how is a brand new mind-set about power demand administration with the flexibility to have a continuing cycle: permitting power to circulation from the home to the automobile battery, and from the automobile battery to the grid to allow mass EV adoption. Now we have put in the lightest, smallest home V2G chargers on this planet for the mission and are actually starting to survey and analyse buyer behaviour. Hopefully this can permit us to work with clients to encourage extra battery charging at evening when it’s cheaper and extra prone to be sourced from renewable sources like wind energy.
Powerloop will assist us fulfill the all-day demand for power utilizing shops in automobile batteries as an alternative of burning fossil fuels, permitting clients to turn into each the turbines and customers of power.
Discover out a bit extra about Powerloop from clients Shilpen and Reshma:
EVs aren’t simply higher, greener automobiles; they’re key to the long run power system.
How? They will truly share their energy, turning into battery packs to energy your private home when the grid’s busy and soiled.
Shilpen and Reshma share how they save ~£600 with Powerloop V2G on @ITVTonight 💜⚡️ pic.twitter.com/UzWbBzZA70
— Octopus Vitality (@OctopusEnergy) February 19, 2021
Gurjeet’s High Travelling Ideas
- Cost – Be sure your Electrical Car is totally charged earlier than leaving for an extended journey.
- Plan – Determine your route beforehand utilizing a software like Zap-Map so that you’re totally ready.
- En Route – Look out for any charging stations or houses with cost factors that’ll will let you use theirs on the way in which again dwelling.
- Sit Again and Loosen up – Get pleasure from stress free driving with instruments like full self drive or drive assistants
- Get pleasure from! – Have an unbelievable time exploring the world while saving cash and defending the atmosphere!
Wish to be part of our staff?
Be a part of the Octopus Electrical Automobiles Workforce at Europe’s best-funded inexperienced tech startup and be on the forefront of the way forward for transportation!
Printed on tenth December 2021 by:
