Meet the Brand: VEV
We catch up with Simon Cubitt from VEV to find out more about their brand and exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo, on stand 397
Tell us a bit about your company?
VEV helps organisations deliver on their carbon reduction ambitions with an end-to-end fleet electrification solution integrating across vehicles, charging infrastructure, power, and finance. VEV is owned by Vitol, a world leader in energy.
Founded two years ago, CEO Mike Nakrani brought together a team of experts from two converging industries - automotive and energy. His vision was to help fleets decarbonise faster and make the transition to EVs a positive and profitable undertaking while keeping mission-critical fleets running at scale.
The team is now 60-strong, working closely with customers to understand how their businesses work and map out and build the best electrification transition for each fleet. This laser focus on each fleet’s requirements is one of the reasons VEV is now working with multiple fleets in the public and private sectors.
Tell us about your latest product(s), service(s), promotions or launches visitors can hope to see on your stand?
Buses lead the way in electrification. In our first year, we started working with sustainability visionary, Tootbus to develop its overall fleet electrification plan. It’s now a reality at the Wandsworth depot, with Tootbus able to power its EVs with 100% renewable energy, newly installed charging infrastructure, onsite solar generation to power 60,000 KM of bus travel per year and the VEV-IQ platform as the control centre.
Another notable installation is the opportunity charging at Kent County Council’s Fastrack Thameside BRT (bus rapid transit). Kent is using huge pantograph chargers – learn about pantographs in our project director’s blog.
One of the first questions we must answer for our customers is “do I have enough power for my EV fleet?”. Energy is a huge consideration requiring a robust energy strategy to reduce demand from the grid with micro-grids utilising solar power, battery storage and smart charging scheduling.
VEV anticipates the complexities of fleet electrification, working with all stakeholders to set businesses up for success in an electrified future.
Why is exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo 2024 an unmissable opportunity for you?
Euro Bus Expo offers a unique opportunity for us to connect with industry leaders and stay informed about the latest trends in the bus and transport sector. It's also the perfect platform to highlight VEV's role in driving bus electrification forward.
For us, events like this are about meaningful conversations - learning about the business challenges and goals with fleet electrification and importantly exploring how we can collaborate to address them.
Euro Bus Expo provides an excellent opportunity to gather valuable market insights, share our expertise, and showcase our successful case studies.
We're excited to meet and network with like-minded individuals who share our vision for advancing the decarbonisation of the bus and passenger transport industry.
We look forward to meeting you.
Meet the Brand: MAHA UK
We catch up with Neil Ebbs from MAHA UK to find out more about their brand and exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo, on stand 455
Tell us a bit about your company?
MAHA is a premium workshop equipment manufacturer, one that is trusted by MOT and ATF centres, as well as maintenance and repair workshops across the UK.
Our portfolio includes brake testers, workshop lifts, headlight aligners and axle play detectors - all vital solutions to help technicians and testers inspect, test and repair all types of vehicles, such as passenger vehicles, LCVs, HGVs, motorcycles, utility and special-purpose vehicles.
Another key part of our business is our array of chassis dynamometers. MAHA has been a long-standing and trusted partner to vehicle performance centres, motorsport teams and race-tracks worldwide, thanks to our dynamometers' ability to conduct performance measurements accurately and consistently, as well as support customers with tuning and diagnostic capabilities.
Tell us about your latest product(s), service(s), promotions or launches visitors can hope to see on your stand?
Our team will highlight the bespoke features and credentials of our premium workshop equipment. This includes our new C_RGA mobile column lifts, available in both 7.5 and 8.5 tonnes.
With the combination of existing and established technology with new and innovative features, our C_RGA mobile column lifts increase safety, offer smart connectivity and reliability in abundance, not to mention more lifts and less recharging thanks to the lithium-ion battery. The C_RGA is a genuine all-rounder for vehicle maintenance work.
Furthermore, Euro Bus Expo visitors can discover our DVSA-approved LMS axle play detectors, MLT 1000 and 3000 headlight alignment testers, MBT 4250 and 7250 brake testers - and MCD 2000 communication cabinet. These are all connected to our compliant EUROSYSTEM V8 software.
Why is exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo 2024 an unmissable opportunity for you?
Euro Bus Expo is an ideal opportunity for our team to highlight our versatile workshop equipment to the event's visitors. Exhibitions and trade fairs have become a prominent part of our marketing strategy, so to connect with bus and coach professionals on a large scale and show them the benefits of our equipment is an excellent opportunity.
This direct engagement helps us gather valuable feedback and build strong relationships - whether new or existing.
We look forward to showcasing how our workshop equipment can enhance workshop efficiency, safety, and productivity.
Demystifying Social Value in the Coach and Bus Industry: A Q&A with Rachel Hughes
As the coach and bus industry evolves, topics like sustainability and social value are becoming key considerations for operators aiming to win new government tenders. At this year's Euro Bus Expo, Rachel Hughes, Director of Surbon Consulting, will present her insights in the session “Demystifying Social Value” on Thursday, 14 November, 2.15 - 2.25pm in the Masterclass Theatre.
What is Social Value, and why does it matter?
Social Value is a term that captures the additional economic, social, and environmental benefits that can be achieved through government spending.
For operators, this is becoming increasingly relevant, as UK central government contracts now include social value as a minimum of 10% of the tender weighting, in place since 2020. Devolved and local authorities, such as Transport for Greater Manchester, are also integrating social value into bus tenders.
Rachel Hughes' session will demystify social value by explaining what it is, how it can be measured, and what 'good' looks like in practice. Through case studies, she will provide actionable insights for operators who want to leverage social value in future government tenders and communications.
Ahead of her presentation, we caught up with Rachel to explore her work, her thoughts on social value, and the advice she has for coach and bus operators navigating the changing landscape.
Introducing Rachel Hughes: Expert in Social Value
Rachel founded Surbon Consulting in 2013 and has worked extensively in the UK and Middle East, supporting the public transport industry with business development and sustainability services. She has designed and implemented social value plans for major operators including Stagecoach and Go-Ahead, most recently completing work in Manchester.
With a BA (Hons) in Geography from the University of Oxford and a master’s in Carbon Management from the University of Edinburgh, Rachel is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics.
Can you tell us more about your business and what it does?
Rachel: "Since 2013, I have provided business development and sustainability advice to the transport sector across the UK and the Middle East. My projects range from supporting social value initiatives for large-scale bids, such as the Elizabeth Line and Manchester bus franchising, to business development support for a transport start-up in Dubai."
What are the most rewarding and challenging aspects of your job?
Rachel: "The most rewarding and challenging part is supporting my clients to win new work.
My dad always said, ‘Persistence is omnipotence,’ and that advice has stuck with me throughout my career. It’s something I would pass on to others in the industry - staying persistent is crucial for success, especially in such a competitive environment."
What’s your key takeaway of the year (so far)?
Rachel: "The world feels more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. However, there are always opportunities. For example, we’ve seen an increase in government funding for electric buses, e.g. since 2020, UK government have spent £3.5 billion which is a significant step forward."
What can visitors expect to learn from your session?
Rachel: "During my session, I will cover what social value is and how it’s measured. Visitors will discover that they might already be doing a lot of social value work within their operations -whether through apprenticeships or charitable giving. I’ll also show how they can use this knowledge in future government tenders and in broader communications, which is crucial as social value is becoming a requirement in contracts."
What advice would you give coach and bus operators to stay competitive and future-proof their businesses in today’s market?
Rachel: "The industry has undergone a lot of change, as has the wider business and political environment in the past five years. My advice is to embrace change and communicate the need for it clearly to staff, customers and the supply chain. To future-proof their businesses, operators should be prepared to be agile and flexible, taking advantage of changes where possible - whether that's adapting to new regulations like social value or evolving business models such as franchising, involving the staff as agents of change, where possible."
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the coach and bus industry today?
Rachel: "One of the biggest challenges is balancing ambitious decarbonisation targets against available funding. Operators need to be proactive and organised while exploring alternative routes and options to achieve these goals.”
“At the same time, there are significant opportunities in continuing to encourage people to travel by bus and coach through market-led services. The more we can demonstrate the value of public transport over private car usage, the better we can position the industry for future growth."
Discover How Social Value Can Benefit Your Operations at Euro Bus Expo
Rachel’s session on social value will provide practical insights that can directly benefit coach and bus operations, especially as the industry increasingly integrates sustainability into its business models. But that's just one part of what Euro Bus Expo has to offer.
With a diverse range of exhibitors showcasing the latest in vehicle technology, digital solutions, and operational tools, the event is designed to help operators discover new ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and stay competitive. Attendees will also have the chance to network with peers, gain insight into current regulatory changes, and explore the future of decarbonisation, accessibility, and innovation in the transport sector.
Says Rachel: "Euro Bus Expo brings together a wide range of insightful exhibitors and speakers in an easily accessible location, making it the perfect event for operators who want to stay ahead of the curve and learn about the latest trends in the industry."
Don’t miss the chance to hear from Rachel and other industry experts at Euro Bus Expo. Register for free today and join us for three days of thought-provoking discussions, cutting-edge products, and valuable networking opportunities.