A new project is to launch next month in the UK to demonstrate how smart charging can incentivise large fleet operators to go electric.

UPS will provide its expertise in fleet operation and act as a testbed to demonstrate the business case for AI-led local energy systems,

The project will start on 1 May 2020 and is being spearheaded by power distribution expert UK Power Networks Services, alongside smart charging specialist Moixa, UPS, the London Cross River Partnership and Innovate UK.

This project will show how Moixa’s GridShare artificial intelligence software can help global fleet operators go electric by maximising the cost and carbon savings from EVs. GridShare will analyse hundreds of data sources at UPS’ Camden depot – including energy prices, power demand and the weather – to optimise EV charging, as well as power supply and demand in order to demonstrate how to effectively cut costs. Vehicles will be able to charge when power is cheapest and cleanest by, for example, using onsite energy storage and solar at the most cost-effective times.

In addition to managing smart charging of EVs, Moixa’s GridShare software can manage onsite energy assets such as solar PV and energy storage, including second-life batteries from retired EVs that can unlock new value for fleets. The project will also assess how a site’s electricity demand can be flexed to balance power on the local network.

UPS will provide its expertise in fleet operation and act as a testbed to demonstrate the business case for AI-led local energy systems, providing a blueprint for other global fleet operators to follow.

Cross River Partnership will assess how these technology solutions can deliver London’s aims to improve air quality, unlock job opportunities and deliver energy, cost and time savings for businesses in the UK and internationally.

Simon Daniel, CEO of Moixa, said: “Our ever-growing online shopping rates mean we’re delivering more things than ever before – everything from food shopping to medical supplies – and that’s having a big impact on carbon emissions and air pollution in our cities. Mitigating these impacts is a massive challenge but this project shows how with the help of the AI-powered technology, like GridShare, the world’s biggest fleet operators can go electric and achieve their environmental ambitions.”