Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 30.07.2025 
As the UK Business Tech Awards continue to spotlight innovation and excellence across the country’s technology landscape, we are featuring Nexus Rental as a finalist for Transport Tech of the Year.
This category recognises outstanding contributions to the transformation of the transport and logistics sector through technology. Nexus has earned its place on the shortlist thanks to a strong track record of digital innovation, sustainability-led initiatives, and an impressive reimagining of how businesses access and manage mobility.
Pioneering vehicle rental technology
With over 25 years of experience, Nexus is widely regarded as the UK’s leading B2B vehicle rental platform. The company provides rental solutions to businesses of all sizes, supported by a team of over 200 people and a technology platform that continues to push the boundaries of efficiency and scale.
At the core of Nexus’s offering is Iris®, a proprietary rental management software that connects businesses to a vast rental supply network, including:
- Over 320 supply partners
- More than 550,000 vehicles ranging from cars and light commercial vehicles to HGVs and plant machinery
- 2,000+ branches across the UK
- 24/7 booking and support
Handling over 350,000 bookings each year, Iris® is optimised for desktop, tablet, and mobile use, enabling users to secure a vehicle anywhere in the UK in under 60 seconds. This comprehensive digital infrastructure has made Nexus a key technology player in transport and mobility services.
Smarter decision-making through AI
One of the standout innovations submitted by Nexus this year is the integration of artificial intelligence into its vehicle allocation logic, in partnership with a third-party decision intelligence company.
Historically, vehicle allocation was determined primarily by cost. With the rollout of AI-powered decision-making, Nexus now optimises bookings using a broader set of metrics, including:
- Supplier responsiveness
- Service quality
- Operational reliability
Using 25 years of anonymised booking data, the new system enables faster and more intelligent decision-making, reducing turndowns and improving overall service levels. This approach puts data at the heart of rental logistics and marks a key step forward in the digital transformation of the sector.
Championing sustainability with Nexus-E
Sustainability is a driving force behind many of this year’s entries, and Nexus’s approach is no exception.
The company has launched Nexus-E, an electric vehicle marketplace integrated directly into the Iris® platform. Nexus-E enables businesses to make more informed and environmentally responsible rental choices by providing:
- A broad selection of EVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)
- Technical details such as EV range, battery capacity, and charge times
- Smart filters aligned with ESG targets
- A built-in carbon emissions calculator
- Access to 10,000+ EVs and hybrid vehicles
One notable outcome was a client reducing CO₂ emissions by over 14.5 tonnes in just 12 months, demonstrating the platform’s ability to support measurable environmental impact.
Reinventing HGV hire
In response to a fragmented and often manual HGV rental market, Nexus launched their Nexus HGV Advanced Hire solution.
Traditionally, HGV hire has been plagued by inefficiencies, regulatory complexity, and unreliable service. Nexus HGV addresses these issues with a streamlined, scalable, and compliant solution. Features include:
- Access to 100,000+ vehicles from 75+ audited providers
- Real-time booking and compliance tracking across 150+ UK locations
- Digital access to essential documentation (e.g., MOT, LOLER, DVS)
- Automated alerts for compliance deadlines (such as Laden Brake Testing)
- Standardised pricing and consolidated invoicing
This solution is helping businesses reduce downtime, ensure regulatory compliance, and gain visibility and control over one of the most challenging aspects of fleet operations.
Finalist for Transport Tech of the Year
The judging panel selected Nexus as a finalist due to its commitment to continuous innovation, its ability to solve complex sector-specific challenges, and its forward-thinking approach to technology development.
“Being shortlisted for Transport Tech of the Year is a proud moment for our entire team. It’s a testament to the hard work we’ve put into building intelligent, scalable solutions that solve real-world challenges in mobility. This recognition validates our commitment to driving the future of transport, and we’re just getting started.”
— Peter Ennis, Chief Technology Officer
Nexus’s entry reflects the spirit of the UK Business Tech Awards: leveraging technology to drive meaningful change and push boundaries in one of the economy’s most critical sectors: transport and logistics.
As the UK Business Tech Awards prepare to celebrate the very best of business technology, Nexus’s place on the shortlist highlights the importance of digital transformation in the transport space.
Nexus Rental website: https://www.nexusrental.co.uk/
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nexus-vehicle-rental/
