ZEV UK is a travel and energy platform that converts spending on bookings like hotels, trains, and EV leases into zGBP rewards, which are then invested in UK solar projects. Users earn 4.4% back on bookings, with 1 zGBP equal to £1.00, and can track their carbon savings and support community solar initiatives. The platform also facilitates EV salary sacrifice schemes through Octopus EV, offering an extra 80 zGBP bonus.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Consumers and businesses lack a seamless way to align their everyday travel spending with tangible climate action. Traditional reward programs offer cashback or points that do not directly contribute to renewable energy generation, leaving a gap between financial incentives and measurable environmental impact.
Solution
ZEV UK bridges travel and energy by converting booking commissions into zGBP, a digital currency backed by investments in UK solar infrastructure. When users book hotels, trains, or EV leases through the platform, ZEV UK invests the commission into solar projects and mints zGBP rewards at a 1:1 rate with GBP. Users can track their personal energy flow, carbon savings, and lifetime CO₂e reductions through a dashboard that visualizes solar generation, battery storage, and grid usage. The platform also supports community-funded solar installations for hotels, pubs, and schools, allowing users to direct their zGBP toward specific projects while retaining full ownership of their balance.
Target Audience
Primary users are eco-conscious travelers and employees of UK companies interested in salary sacrifice EV schemes, as well as businesses seeking to integrate renewable energy rewards into their employee benefits.
Features
- zGBP reward system: 1 zGBP = £1.00, earned at 4.4% on bookings and redeemable for Trip.com gift cards
- Real-time energy dashboard showing solar, battery, and grid power curves with historical data over 7 days, 4 weeks, or since launch
- Carbon savings tracker converting CO₂e saved into equivalent car miles, air miles, and tree absorption numbers
- Community solar project funding with transparent targets, including Net-Zero Hotels, Pubs, and Schools, each with £10,000 funding goals
- EV salary sacrifice integration with Octopus EV, offering up to 40% savings on EV leases and an 80 zGBP bonus for early participants
- Lifetime CO₂e calculation model: 1 W of solar generates ~1 kWh/year, saving 0.3 kg CO₂e per kWh over 25 years