How Northgate is supporting mhs homes’ EV transition

The mhs homes Group is the largest independent social landlord in the UK with more than 10,000 homes across Medway, Maidstone, Gravesham, Dartford, and Tonbridge & Malling in Kent.

For over 30 years, mhs homes has operated on the belief that everyone should have a decent home, with a long-term ambition to help end the housing crisis in North Kent through safe and sustainable housing.

They have been a Northgate customer for several years, operating a fleet of 130 vehicles, 31 of which are now electric vehicles (EV).

Where are mhs on their EV journey?

Northgate worked closely with the operational teams to support their EV transition which began with replacing 30 ICE vehicles with EV alternatives.

As part of their wider ESG strategy, mhs homes has set clear targets: 40% of their commercial van fleet to be electric by 2030 to reduce carbon emissions and improve long-term sustainability.

Following this EV implementation, focus shifted to engaging key stakeholders and drivers to build confidence, secure buy-in, and enable the next phase of the journey through a full EV consultancy solution.

Engaging with key stakeholders across the business

To support the consultancy phase, we held a Drive to Zero EV engagement day at the mhs homes depot. Attended by:

• Contracts Managers driving fleet change.
• The Sustainability Manager.
• Health & Safety representatives.
• A select group of eligible drivers preparing to transition to EVs.

Two sessions were held on the day (morning and afternoon). The drivers were invited to explore and test drive a range of electric vans for a hands-on experience on how EVs could perform in real-world working conditions.

Each session included a short presentation followed by a live Q&A, allowing drivers and other stakeholders to raise questions and discuss the practicalities of EV - from charging to vehicle capabilities - with Northgate and ChargedEV’s electrification experts. This also created an environment for the contracts managers to hear the driver feedback first-hand.

 

From the driver’s seat

Without driver confidence and cooperation, the full benefits of EV adoption cannot be realised. Initial concerns included:

• Finding time to charge vehicles alongside daily tasks
• Adjusting to automatic gearboxes, as most existing vans are manual

However, feedback after the test drives were overwhelmingly positive. The smoothness and performance of the EVs drives addressed concerns, particularly for drivers who were initially apprehensive.

Vehicles showcased on the day included the Renault Master E-Tech, Ford E-Custom, Vauxhall E-Combo, and more.

John Mongine, contracts manager at mhs homes, said:

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Transitioning to electric vehicles is a key part of our strategy to reduce our carbon footprint and meet our environmental targets. Events like this help our teams understand the benefits of EVs and give them confidence in the changes ahead.”

Melanie Creedy, Electric Vehicle Business Development Manager, Northgate said:

“Having the opportunity to engage with drivers who are a key stakeholder of any fleet’s EV adoption was extremely valuable. Making them part of the journey where they can experience the vehicles first hand whilst being able to have open conversations with our EV experts, will give us useful insight on how we will support mhs homes on their road to a sustainable fleet.”

What’s next for mhs homes?

Next steps will focus on maintaining momentum and concluding the consultancy programme, using data from telematics installed across the fleet, to ensure mhs homes receives the right fleet and infrastructure solutions to facilitate their ESG targets.

Key priorities include:

• Continuing driver engagement and training (online and in-person).
• Reviewing and upgrading charging infrastructure across depots and estates.
• Supporting delivery of the 2030 target through phased fleet replacement.

mhs homes also has ChargedEV charging infrastructure in place allowing them to scale their charging capabilities as their EV fleet grows.