Shared depot charging model goes live as Voltempo, Corpay and Openreach scale EV approach

April 30, 2026

Voltempo has moved its DepotCharge model into live deployment, with Welch Group hosting the first operational site and Openreach using the infrastructure to support its growing electric fleet.

The model combines charging infrastructure, energy supply and fleet payments into a single system. Through Corpay’s platform, Openreach engineers can access and pay for charging using existing cards such as Allstar Chargepass, keeping billing within one account.

For fleets, the key detail is how the charging is delivered. Depot capacity is made bookable and shared, allowing third party vehicles to access charging at operational sites. This is particularly relevant for drivers without home charging, where access remains a constraint.

Welch Group retains control of its depot while opening up spare capacity, creating an additional revenue stream from existing infrastructure. On-site solar generation and a bundled energy procurement model also support cost control and more consistent energy pricing.

Openreach now operates nearly 7,000 electric vehicles and already uses a mix of home, depot and public charging. This adds a further layer, giving engineers access to secure, pre-planned charging locations tied to operational sites.

The rollout will expand across additional UK depots, with a focus on improving utilisation, reducing downtime and simplifying how fleets access charging day to day.