What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

Being a household name doesn’t mean the AA rests on its laurels when it comes to customer service. The company states that this is the number one priority within the business, be it through the call centres where a driver, possibly in a state of distress makes first contact, through to the account managers who support their clients in the day-to-day care of their fleet operation but who are also assisting in the transition to full electrification, with the changes this will entail. This isn’t restricted to assisting drivers requiring roadside assistance with vans that have run out of charge rather than traditional fuel, the AA gives fleets valuable insight into how to increase efficiency, stay safe, manage costs, remain compliant with existing and future legislation, and generally assist with the transition to alternative fuels.

The AA recognises that preparing for the decarbonisation of van fleets is a cause for major upheaval and unprecedented change. The company has invested heavily in ensuring that not only are their breakdown fleets fully equipped and prepared for some of the unique challenges presented with an EV breakdown, the technicians are also EV and alternative fuels trained, giving van fleet managers and SME’s alike the confidence that the AA can support them whatever their future van fleet mix. The AA has recognised that, in recent years there have been more variables in play than ever before, be it changes in fleet mix to the hybrid way people now work post-pandemic. The company strives to be a consistent support that their customers can rely on, not only as the leading provider of services and products but also as a reliable source of information in the move over to electrification.  

As part of this strategy, the AA has put in place some key initiatives such as an EV charge post support service. Launched in the summer of 2021 following trials, the service endeavours to assist EV drivers 24/7 should they encounter difficulties when charging their vehicle. A new service currently being piloted is an In-field charge post repair service. Dedicated technicians will attend EV charge point breakdowns, re-enabling them for use by customers. 

The AA offers credibility to the UK’s van operators, running one of the largest and most complex van fleets, understanding and experiencing the challenges faced today by anyone running a van fleet of any size. The AA is looking even further into the future, taking on new alternative fuel technologies as they become available, demonstrated by the fact that the company is now operating the UK’s first hydrogen fuel cell recovery vehicle, trialling the fuel for potential future use within the fleet, and also providing insight that can be shared with customers.