Turning Blue Lights Green: new guide shares lessons from the frontline of emergency fleet electrification

Flexible Power Systems (FPS) has co-authored a new guide with Cenex, drawing on a webinar series held in spring and summer 2026 with Emergency Services Times. Turning Blue Lights Green brings together lessons, insights and best practice from the people leading the electrification of the UK’s emergency service vehicles. It covers everything from early planning to shared charging at scale.

The sessions, chaired by Catherine Levin of Emergency Services Times, featured speakers from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service, West Mercia Police, Avon and Somerset Police, the Metropolitan Police Service, 7 Force Commercial Services, Midlands Net Zero Hub and UK Power Networks.

From vehicle availability to systemic constraints

Research by Emergency Services Times found that only 13% of the UK’s 53,000 emergency service vehicles were battery electric or hybrid in 2025, and 67% of responding organisations did not know how much they would spend on EVs before 2030.

For much of this decade, the main barrier has been whether suitable vehicles exist. With a growing range of capable models now on the market, attention is moving to three systemic constraints:

  • access to charging infrastructure

  • access to enough grid capacity

  • access to funding.

“You are far better off dipping your toe in the water, if it’s just doing one electric vehicle and charger, and see what you learn.”

Glynn Richardson of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Read the report to find out to manage your electrification transition phases for a more successful outcome.

Download the report

Michael Ayres, Managing Director of Flexible Power Systems, co-authored the report with Carl Christie, Senior Fleet Consultant at Cenex.