Ahead of the Fleet Electrification Forum, Transport + Energy speaks to Compleo’s James Cowan about the company and its plans for the future.
Tell us about your business…
Compleo Charging Solutions was founded in 2009 and is part of the KOSTAL Group.
Headquartered in Dortmund, Germany their divisions span the UK, Austria, Switzerland, and Sweden. They specialise in manufacturing AC, DC and HPC EV charging hardware, providing future-proof solutions for commercial, public, and fleet EV charging needs.
Their hardware solution is brand-agnostic ensuring their chargers work with a wide variety of back-end platforms. The UK team is based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire and can provide full turn key solutions from site design, installation to maintenance.
Its customers include APCOA, Volkswagen Audi Group, Network Rail, Islington Council, Mon Motors, Oxfordshire County Council & Opcharge.
What are your decarbonisation goals or targets relating to fleet?
Compleo’s goal is to support the decarbonisation of fleet operations across the UK by delivering robust EV charging infrastructure. We work closely with businesses and local authorities to help them transition their fleets to electric, contributing directly to the UK’s net-zero ambitions.
In what ways have you collaborated with others – whether transport or energy companies, and public or private sector – on the issue of fleets?
Compleo supports numerous organisations in their transition to electric fleets by supplying the necessary charging infrastructure. Successfully electrifying a fleet involves addressing several key challenges, with charging infrastructure being one of the most critical. That’s where Compleo comes in. We work with a network of approved installation partners across the UK and Northern Ireland to design and deploy tailored EV charging solutions.
Some of the fleets we support include Islington Council, where we are delivering our largest and most recent project—a rollout supporting over 550 electric vehicles, including buses, vans, and refuse collection vehicles. Other fleet clients include Oxfordshire County Council, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, and many more.
What is your biggest overall challenge as a company when it comes to transport and energy?
One of Compleo’s biggest challenges is making sure the infrastructure can keep up with the pace of demand. More organisations want to electrify their fleets—and that’s great—but getting chargers in the ground isn’t always straightforward.
Grid capacity, planning delays, and differing approaches from local authorities can all slow things down. At Compleo, we tackle this by offering flexible, open hardware and working closely with our partners to make installations as smooth and future-ready as possible.
What policy changes or support would you like from the UK Government for fleets?
Funding for infrastructure, not just the vehicles themselves. Clearer, long-term policies give businesses the confidence to invest, and simplifying the process for accessing grants really helps speed things up. Grid upgrades are another big one—supporting DNOs and speeding up connection times makes a huge difference.
Finally, standardising planning rules across regions reduces delays and makes it easier to roll out charging infrastructure at scale.
How do you see the fleet sector changing and progressing in the next 5, 10, 15 years?
Over the next five years, we see rapid progress as fleets gear up for the 2035 mandate, which bans the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans. This is already pushing many operators to act now, rather than later. Public sector fleets and large logistics firms lead the way, helped by a growing range of electric models and improving infrastructure.
By 2035, with the phase-out of new hybrid vehicles as well, we expect the majority of fleets to be fully electric. Smart charging, energy management systems, and possibly vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology become more common, helping operators reduce costs and support the grid.
Looking 15 years ahead, the fleet sector could be almost entirely zero-emission, deeply integrated with renewable energy sources and national energy strategies. Fleets no longer serve just as transport assets—they become a key part of the UK’s wider decarbonisation efforts.
James Cowan is Sales Director of Compleo Charging Solutions
