Meet Paul Smith, COO and co-founder of DigiSure; a technology platform that enables data-driven insurance for OEMs, shared economy companies, and modern transport businesses.
DigiSure utilise their industry expertise and advanced technology to optimise processes within the entire insurance ecosystem; including screening and risk, policy administration, claims handling, and insurance program management.
In this interview Smith chats about which symptoms of insurance can arise in your company and its vehicles, what these symptoms look like, and how DigiSure aims to combat these risk symptoms before it’s too late. Smith also discusses the loss ratio concept – cost of claims relative to generated insurance premium – and how the company can help to keep this to a safe balance.
Exclusive insight is also given on what we can expect to see from DigiSure at MOVE America and what Smith’s panel “Making shared mobility profitable” will converse on in the Business Models theatre next week.
We can finally say it – only 1 week ‘till MOVE! We’re gearing up for an incredible two days of talks, networking, experience and much more. MOVE has become the critical meeting place for buyers and sellers across the mobility value chain. OEMs, transport operators, tech companies, energy companies, fast growing startups and policymakers gather every year to discover the next generation technologies being brought into the market place. This is where we partner…where we launch…where we connect…where we create…
Check out some last bits of important info, like who’s joining our tracks. With 24 tracks across 2 days, there is much to look forward to. Our tracks include:
Electric Vehicles – Smart Cities and Infrastructure – Autonomous Vehicles – Energy and Charging – Last Mile Delivery – Regulation – Liability & ESG, Fleet Management – Bus Trans – Truck Tech – Business Models – Autonomous Vehicles – Micromobility & Ability – Mapping, Navigation & Routes – MaaS – Ticketing, Revenue & Payments – Hydrogen & Alternative Fuels – Connectivity & 5G – V-Commerce & Dealerships – Tech, Data & Innovation – Battery Tech – Air/Drones.
Here is just a taster of what is to come…
Panel: The car-as-a-device: how OEMs are becoming the new software companies
Moderator – Steve Tengler, Senior Contributor, Forbes
Sachin Raviram, Senior Group Manager, Software Defined Vehicle, General Motors
Jana Breikopft, CEO, Mercedes Pay
Frank McCleary, Partner, Porsche Consulting
Panel: Is non-ownership the vehicle model of the future?
Moderator – Grayson Brulte, Founder and CEO, Road to Autonomy
Jesal Trivedi, Product Lead, New Mobility Platforms, Ford
Charlie Guo, Product Manager, Nissan
Curtis Scott, Global Future Mobility Leader, AON
Matthew Kovisnky, Head of OEM and Mobility Partnerships, TURO
Panel: Building out American charging and what it means for all players
Moderator – Ben Prochazka, Executive Director, Electrification Coalition
Britta Gross, Director of Transportation, EPRI
Sean Ackley, Head of Charging and Energy, VinFast US
Lauren Skiver, COO, Transdev
Daniel Keh, Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Partners
Panel: Autonomous now
Moderator – Grayson Brulte, Founder and CEO, Road to Autonomy
Suman Kharbanda, Vice President Advanced Technology & Innovation, FedEx
Sarah Searcy, Deputy Director of Innovation, NCDOT
Srinivas Gowda, VP of Autonomous, Navistar
Panel: Driving innovation across the mobility ecosystem
Moderator – Steve Tengler, Senior Contributor, Forbes
Steve Greenfield, CEO, Automotive Ventures
Andrew Glass Hastings, Executive Director, Open Mobility Foundation
Neil Brooker, COO, BMW Designworks
Panel: The strategic supply chain
Moderator – Pete Bigelow, Editor, Automotive News
Amir Torish, CBO, StoreDot
Genevieve Cullen, President, Electric Drive Transportation Association
Ryan Castilloux, Managing Director, ADAMAS Intelligence
Panel: Connectivity and integration: how we move and how we groove
Moderator – John Kwant, Executive Director, Americas, 5GAA
Jason JonMichael, Transportation Specialist (OSC), USDOT Research and Technology
Michele Mueler, Senior Project Manager, Connected and Automated Vehicles, Michigan Department of Transportation
Sylvano Carrasco, VP of Connected Cars, GetAround
Panel: The latest in MaaS subscription models
Moderator – Roger Lanctot, Director, TechInsights
Charlie Guo, Product Manager, Nissan
Jayesh Patel, SVP, Corporate Strategy Hertz
Matthew Iommi, CEO, Fetii
Panel: Circular batteries: how recycling programs are driving a sustainable battery ecosystem
Moderator – Emily Dreibelis, Reporter, PCMag (Moderator)
Steve Christensen, Executive Director, Responsible Battery Coalition
Megan O’Connor, CEO, Nth Cycle
Ganesh Iyer, CEO, NIO US
Albert Lipson, Principal Materials Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory
Yesterday Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak announced a major U-turn on the government’s green policies, including a push-back on the ban of new petrol and diesel car sales in the UK from 2030 to 2035.
Since the announcement multiple automotive companies have responded declaring their disapproval of the U-turn, disappointed by the potential risk of delaying the UK’s goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
Ford, AutoTrader, Everrati, DriveElectric, Equipmake, and VEV all responded to the announcement expressing disapproval on the PM’s watering down of green policies and issued warnings of the negative effects it will have on the automotive industry.
Chair of Ford, Lisa Brankin, said:
“Our business needs three things from the UK government: Ambition, committment, and consistency. A relaxation of 2030 would underpin all three.
We need the policy focus trained on bolstering the EV market in consumers while headwinds are strong: Infrastructure remains immature, tariffs loom and the cost of living is high.”
Everrati’s founder and CEO, Justin Lunny, also said:
“The scaling back of the commitment to the 2030 ban on new ICE cars in the UK is the opposite of what the automotive industry and consumers need right now.
Ever since the deadline was set in 2020, awareness and desire to go electric has increased rapidly across all sectors…But by rowing back, the UK Government has not only pushed our net zero plan a further five years down the road, but risked fostering procrastination in a burgeoning market.”
AutoTrader’s commercial director, Ian Plummer, said: “The PM has left the industry and drivers high and dry by sacrificing the 2030 target on the altar of political advantage…this announcement has only served to remove trust and confidence in the UK market.”
Audi made an announcement with no comment on the PM’s speech and simply stated that they will continue on course for increasing growth in producing fully electric vehicle models.
Rishi Sunak’s watering down of policies is likely to decrease the UK’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The PM claimed that this delay is green policies will help the government to “adopt a more pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach to meeting net zero.”
Volvo have announced that they will end all production of diesel-powered models by early 2024, at Climate Week NYC today.
This makes the car manufacturer the first legacy automaker to take this step. The measure was taken as part of their pledge to sell only fully-electric cars by 2030 and to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
Jim Rowan, CEO of Volvo Cars, said:
“Electric powertrains are our future, and superior to combustion engines: they generate less noise, less vibration, less servicing costs for our customers and zero tailpipe emissions.
“We’re fully focused on creating a broad portfolio of premium, fully electric cars that deliver on everything our customers expect from a Volvo – and are a key part of our response to climate change.”
This milestone follows the carmaker’s decision last year to exit the development of new combustion engines. In November 2022, Volvo also sold their stake in Aurobay, the joint venture company that harboured all of their remaining combustion engine assets.
The company also said “We’re all-in on electrification because it’s the right thing to do” in a press release covering the announcement.
The recent Global Climate Stocktake report issued by the United Nations underlined the urgency of the climate emergency faced by humanity, as well as the need for action.
Jim Rowan added:
“What the world needs now, at this critical time for our planet and humanity, is leadership. It is high time for industry and political leaders to be strong and decisive, and deliver meaningful policies and actions to fight climate change. We’re committed to doing our part and encourage our peers as well as political leaders around the globe to do theirs.”
Chief Sustainability Officer of Volvo, Anders Kärrberg, will attend an event organised by the Accelerating to Zero (A2Z) Coalition at this year’s Climate Week NYC. Launched at the COP27 climate summit, the A2Z Coalition provides a multi-stakeholder platform for signatories of the Glasgow Declaration on Zero Emission Vehicles, of which Volvo are one.
The A2Z platform allows them to collaborate and coordinate actions with others towards the coalition’s collective target of ‘making 100 per cent of global new car and van sales free of tailpipe emissions by 2040, and no later than 2035 in leading markets’.
Written by Max Nurse-Bosley, GTM Analyst, Worldpay
Worldpay is the world’s global leading acquirer with 30+ years of experience in payments across 146 countries. As a Platinum Sponsor at MOVE America 2023, their team of vertical experts examines the trends and drivers for growth impacting the world of urban mobility today and identifies how an effective payment strategy can generate more revenue for businesses across the globe.
The highlighted insights below give us a sneak preview from their latest Future of EVC Payments white paper and upcoming Urban Mobility Payments Report. The report is based on their recent study conducted in the US and U.K. to understand the payment habits and preferences of 2000+ regular and frequent transport users across multiple forms of transport.
Industry Growth
Electric vehicle (EV) sales are estimated to rise to 20% of total car sales globally by 2025, with a staggering 59% projected by 2035. The rapid growth of the EV market has fuelled an equally rapid expansion of electric vehicle charging (EVC) infrastructure, with its global market value reaching $26 billion in 2022 and further expected to soar to an impressive $222 billion by 2030. This growth has been largely triggered by the escalating global environmental crisis putting an increased focus on sustainability across various industries. This is particularly important in the automotive sector, which despite its historical contribution to pollution is now positioning itself as a leader in driving positive change. EVs and the subsequent development of EVC infrastructure are at the forefront of this transformation.
Regulatory Change
In addition to environmental concerns, the growth of the EVC industry is also propelled by legislative measures aiming to promote EV adoption. For instance, several North American states and EU member countries have committed to prohibiting the sale of new fossil fuel vehicles by 2035. Additionally, numerous governments in the EU and US have implemented initiatives to enhance the accessibility of EVCs for customers and improve the overall customer experience provided by EVC suppliers. For example, the US government has promised to implement 500,000 EV chargers before 2030. Another notable initiative involves the implementation of card-present terminals throughout Europe. This initiative seeks to address one of the major barriers to public EVC usage, which is the inconsistency and unreliability of payment methods, by establishing a standardized payment experience across the market for users.
Consumer Expectations
In a highly competitive market with numerous mobility service alternatives, delivering a seamless user experience is paramount for operators looking to drive demand and foster customer loyalty. The payment process holds significant importance in the customer journey and Worldpay’s recent study strongly indicates that ‘convenience’ is the top priority for consumers when it comes to their payment experience. It was also found that 43% of US consumers and 50% of UK consumers have at times chosen not to charge their vehicles due to the lengthiness of the payment process. This highlights the damage that is caused to EVC businesses when their payment experience does not match their customer expectations.
A Lack of Brand Loyalty
The research also examined the preferences of customers regarding their choice of EVC brand. When asked whether they opted for a specific EVC brand, it was revealed that the vast majority, 77% US consumers and 88% UK consumers, leaned towards using whatever brand was available (these findings exclude Tesla drivers). For EVC suppliers, this absence of brand loyalty poses challenges such as unpredictable demand and a higher likelihood of customer churn. However, it also presents an opportunity for EVC suppliers to break this pattern by addressing customer pain points, such as lengthy payment processes, by providing a seamless and consistent payment experience.
To learn more about EVC trends and how your business can seize the opportunities these create, read our latest insights on The Future of EV Charging Paymentshere.
High-speed charging times are now just as crucial to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, as the deployment of high power charging infrastructure, said StoreDot.
With most drivers still naming charging anxiety as the major decision factor in transitioning from petrol to electric, infrastructure rollout is often seen as the main catalyst to mass EV adoption. However, StoreDot has suggested that extreme-fast charging (XFC) could change this.
With the recent deployment of high-power chargers, the need for XFC battery technology in EVs on the road has increased. These two components – battery technology and high-power charging infrastructure – could help to unlock the mass adoption of EVs.
StoreDot is now shipping samples of its 100in5 silicon batteries capable of delivering 100 miles, or 160 km of charge in just five minutes. With global OEM partners testing and validating its technology, mass production readiness is now on track and the company anticipates widespread uptake of its battery cells starting in 2025.
Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO, said:
“Charging anxiety remains a key barrier to mass adoption of EVs. Nevertheless, the ability of the vehicle to charge fast is just as crucial to prospective EV users as the availability of high-power charge points.
“Deployment of infrastructure must be paired with innovation of XFC technology since most EV battery solutions on the market currently cannot accept high power charging rates. With long lead times required to introduce new vehicles, we are urging global automotive manufacturers to adopt XFC battery technology that can safely accept the much-needed high power charging rates, to enable our industry to achieve the ambitious goal of zero-emission transport for a cleaner world.”
Geotab has announced their new partnership with German car manufacturer BMW Group, adding another partner to its growing OEM network.
The telematics software company hopes to provide fleet operators with a turnkey connectivity solution from their collaboration with BMW.
The partnership also hopes to enable valuable analytics to feed into sustainability efforts as well as the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) report, which will be mandatory for certain companies in the EU from 2024 onwards.
The Geotab platform processes the collected data sets into useful information, providing fleet managers with all the insights they need to better understand the performance of their fleet. It also provides fleet operators with a single point of access to make informed decisions and provide connectivity solutions for fleets of all sizes.
The software integrates fully electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) as well as conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) and takes the relevant data points for each powertrain into account.
Christoph Ludewig, Vice President OEM Europe at Geotab, said:
“Cooperating with a major globally renowned and leading brand like BMW Group marks an important milestone in our strategy to become a trusted partner for OEMs.
OEMs do not have to build their own infrastructures for data analysis and visualisation but can rather feed their data into the telematics platform via the cloud using modern APIs. Customers still receive all OEM-specific data pointsㅡ optimally processed and integrated with other fleet data to provide a rounded, 360-degree view of their fleet operations.”
The MyGeotab platform can now integrate proprietary OEM data from a range of manufacturers, including BMW, Renault, Ford, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel / Vauxhall, DS, and Mercedes-Benz.
German automaker BMW is set to produce electric Mini cars at Cowley, Oxford plant after multimillion-pound funding grant from UK government and internal £600 million investment.
The plant will kick off production of the electric Mini models and the new electric Mini Aceman crossover SUV with the help of a £75 million grant of taxpayer funds from the UK government, the Financial Times reported.
Business and trade secretary, Kemi Badenoch, said:
“This decision is a big vote of confidence in the UK economy and the work of this Government to ensure the continued strength of our world-leading automotive sector.
“We are proud to be able to support BMW Group’s investment, which will secure high-quality jobs, strengthen our supply chains and boost Britain’s economic growth.”
By 2030 production volume of plant aims to be exclusively electric and the BMW Group will have spent more than £3 billion combined on its Swindon, Hams Hall, and Oxford plants since 2000.
BMW reported that the factory will reach a production capacity of around 200,000 cars per year in the medium term, with ICE and battery electric vehicles (EVs) initially being built on the same production line. From 2030, the Oxford Plant will produce all-electric MINI models exclusively.
BMW’s investment follows the announcement of a £4 billion Somerset gigafactory from Tata Motors and their commitment in the UK to supplying electric batteries. Nissan and AESC also recently announced another £1 billion investment into an EV manufacturing hub in Sunderland.
Rishi Sunak said that BMW’s latest investment in the Oxford plant was “another shining example of how the UK is the best place to build cars of the future”.
The latest Road to 2030 report from Auto Trader has revealed that fewer than half of drivers are currently willing to embrace electric vehicles (EVs) as concerns over affordability and charging prevent consumers from making the switch.
The report highlighted the barriers to mass adoption as the 2030 deadline on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles approach. Its research, based on a poll of 4,000 drivers across the UK, reveals just 47% of drivers consider that owning an EV would fit in with their lifestyle.
Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said:
“There is still much more work to be done to achieve a mass transition to electric vehicles before the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel models and ensure no driver is left behind. Support from the tax system to put the used EV market on a more robust footing is vital for the sustainability of the entire EV market and our chances of successfully transitioning to EVs by 2030.
“Consumers are still worried about affordability and charging, which is why we need a clear statement of intent from the Government. Penalising drivers who have to charge in public with higher VAT is simply unfair: we need to end this charging injustice.”
56% of the poll consider EVs too expensive and another 47% worried over a lack of charging points. Despite the average household only needing to plug in once a week, two-fifths of drivers believe they would have to charge their cars every three days.
The affordability barriers are underlined by the shrinking of new EVs on sale for less than £30,000, with just nine models now compared to 11 at the end of 2022. The handful of affordable new EVs contrasts with 87 diesel and petrol models on sale below £30,000. New EVs are still on average 33% more expensive than traditionally fueled vehicles, throwing up further barriers to mass market adoption.
Auto Trader’s report reveals a circa 23% contraction in second-hand electric prices over the past 12 months, bringing greener options within reach of more drivers. According to Auto Trader data, more than a quarter of all used EVs were priced under £20,000 in August – up from 7% a year earlier.
EVs between three and five years old have seen even bigger price drops of 40%, making some EV models such as the Nissan Leaf cheaper than petrol or diesel equivalents for the first time.
As a result of the softening in prices, which has been fuelled by a significant growth in supply as brand-new EVs bought on finance or leasing contracts three-four years ago re-enter the market, demand for second-hand EVs on Auto Trader has increased significantly, with current levels up 68.6%compared with August last year.
But while the oversupply of EVs has been effective in driving down used prices and encouraging consumers to consider the switch, uptake is still limited to wealthier drivers as concerns over affordability and charging hold back the push towards mass adoption.
Auto Trader is calling for the Government to make EVs more affordable by using incentives in the tax system rather than relying on unsustainable market dynamics.
A recent report by Cabify found that a third of motorcycle drivers in Spain use motorcycle rental services by the minute, also known as moto-sharing. The survey was conducted among more than 4,000 users in Spain to find out the social perception of this service.
Of the total of those surveyed, 80% use motorcycles in their trips around the city on a recurring basis, at least once a week, compared to 15% who do so on a more regular basis.
Although, the majority of motorcycle users own a motorcycle (72%), a third opt for moto-sharing, where price, availability, and proximity of the vehicle play a key role.
Among the main motivations for opting for this means of transport, respondents highlight greater agility when moving around the city, allowing them to reach their destination faster. On the other hand, the possibility of parking the vehicle in a simpler way is a determining factor when choosing this alternative over others.
On the other hand, although 53% of respondents do not show any preference for combustion or electric motorcycles, it has been detected that the remaining 43% are inclined towards a 100% sustainable option in their travels.
The survey promoted by Cabify also contemplates non-drivers of motorcycles, of which 21% show interest in this alternative and its use in the urban environment, and if it is to go as a companion, this figure rises to 30% of the total. Among the most frequently cited barriers to its use are the perceived lack of safety (46%), the lack of a driver’s license (31%) and discomfort (23%).
Despite this, 40% of non-drivers would be willing to consider using motorcycles if they had the necessary knowledge and the opportunity to learn how to ride them safely. In general terms, eight out of ten respondents, including both motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists, detect that there is a lack of road safety education in cities.
The use of electric mopeds for rent by the minute is one of the main mobility alternatives that Cabify makes available to its users. In this sense, this option is the preferred choice of users, in general, younger, compared to other mobility alternatives such as taxis or VTC. The average age of users who opt for Cabify’s moto-sharing service is around 33 years old, and they usually make journeys of between three and four kilometers on average.
Users can access the service through the Cabify app in Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Seville, and Valencia.
In addition, all the motorcycles available through Cabify’s platform are 100% electric, which allows them to avoid using other less sustainable alternatives. In this regard, it should be noted that, during 2022, thanks to Cabify’s motorcycles, the emission of around 300 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere has been avoided.
Battery technology company StoreDot has issued a warning over long-term battery health concerns amidst extreme fast charging (XFC) claims.
The company’s announcement is in response to recent industry claims touting fast charge times and extended ranges, which often overlook the potential long-term impact on battery health and the resulting degradation in vehicle’s driving range.
Without proper battery chemistry frequent fast charges can lead to reduced overall battery lifespan, due to degradation as a result of power charging which can compromise the integrity of battery cells.
Dr Doron Myersdorf, storedot CEO, said:
“At storedot we put battery safety at the top of our agenda, ensuring that cells can accept high charge rates without compromising their lifespan.
“Even though battery deterioration and a decline in the state of health over the lifetime of the battery are inevitable, EV owners shouldn’t have to sacrifice lifespan and vehicle’s driving range for convenient daily use. A driver should be able to confidently charge at a consistently high rate, every time and regardless of how full the battery is when they arrive at the charging station.”
Addressing this concern, StoreDot emphasised the importance of transparent communication from battery developers around critical factors associated with XFC such as battery health, cycle life, performance under extreme temperatures, safety parameters, and costs.
StoreDot recently reported outstanding battery performance feedback for the A-Samples testing phase of its XFC electric vehicle battery cells.
Volkswagen has announced that they will be offering up to £4,500 to people affected by the recent expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across London.
The announcement comes as part of the Mayor of London’s £160 million scrappage scheme which provides financial assistance to help eligible London residents scrap vehicles that don’t meet the ULEZ emissions standards.
The offer aims to also help ease the cost-of-living crisis for drivers with older vehicles who are facing daily charges when driving in London from 29 August due to the latest ULEZ expansion.
The daily charge for drivers who are using a vehicle above minimum emissions standards in the zone is £12.50.
The amount on offer from Volkswagen ranges from £1,750 to £4,500 – depending on the model chosen to replace an old car.
Popular and multi-award-winning electric, petrol and diesel cars qualify, including all current Volkswagen ID. models, the highly popular Polo model, and three small SUVs.
Customers can receive £4,500 through the scheme for Volkswagen ID.5 models and £2,000 for Taigo models. See the full list of how much you could get for your VW model and details of the scrappage scheme here.
The minimum emission standards for ULEZ-compliant cars are:
Petrol – Euro 4 or newer (generally built after 2005)
Diesel – Euro 6 or newer (generally built after 2015)
The standards also apply to some commercial vehicles.
The cash discounts from Volkswagen are available to anyone in London’s 32 boroughs who qualifies for the Mayor of London’s scrappage scheme. Financial assistance is available to Londoners who drive non-compliant cars, motorcycles, and wheelchair accessible vehicles.
The scheme offers up to £2,000 or a combination of cash and public transport passes.
The discounts can be used at any Volkswagen Retailer in the UK, but customers must be able to prove their eligibility for the ULEZ scrappage scheme.
Article written by IFS and originally published by Total Telecom
If your company is considering adding electric vehicles (EVs) to service fleets, whether to save some green or be more green, you can now do so confidently with the help of disruptive technology.
As large telco operators with thousands of service trucks and vans look to incorporate electric vehicles into their fleets in the coming years, how can they manage all the intricacies of keeping an EV charged and on schedule?
While the benefits of EVs are great, allowing telecom organizations to reduce fuel costs and fulfill sustainability missions, the challenge of managing EVs in time-sensitive, intricate, and SLA-driven daily schedules have prevented companies from making the shift. As any EV car owner knows, you must plan your driving routes to ensure that you have access to charging stations and account for the battery recharging time. Now, multiply those requirements by thousands or tens of thousands of service vans and trucks, and you see the challenge.
This is why software designed using artificial intelligence and machine learning that optimises the planning and scheduling of field technicians is being updated to include EV fleet optimisation. As they are known in the field service management (FSM) software market, these scheduling optimization engines are popular amongst telco operators with large field workforces and service vehicle fleets. The solutions enable operators to efficiently plan and manage daily field engineer and long-range project schedules, ensuring that all consumer appointments are handled on-time and service level agreements with business customers are met. In essence, they can ensure that the right field technician with the right parts and skills is always sent to the right place at the right time.
Because these software solutions are infused with AI and machine learning, they can use powerful algorithms to process complex mathematical equations in a matter of minutes. For example, some of the most powerful optimisation engines can intelligently schedule 500,000 field service activities in under an hour. In other words, far faster than any human dispatcher can and without any error.
The benefits include reduced technician travel time by as much as 50% and higher first-time fix rates, all of which translates into lower labor costs, lower fuel costs, lower carbon emissions, and improved customer experiences. So, why not extend the intelligence of these workforce optimisation solutions to include fleets of electric service vehicles? That’s exactly what software vendors like IFS are doing.
Now, in addition to data inputs like customer service level agreements, daily appointment schedules, required drive time between locations, and even field engineer work breaks and time off, this planning software can consider everything needed to keep an EV on the road, including location of charge points, type, capacity, speed of charge and range. The software automatically plans EV charging requirements along with daily technician schedules, and it is nuanced enough to only use EVs in urban areas with more charging stations or for certain journeys that are shorter distances. The next wave of innovation will be supporting IoT-connected EVs that will have real-time battery usage tracking.
If your company is considering switching service fleets over to include EVs, you now can do so confidently. You can even prepare for that future with IFS’ embedded predictive planning tool that allows you to test how your business could cope with a wide range of scenarios including adding EVs into your fleet. It lets you easily visualize your simulated impact on resources, KPIs, and work demand.
IFS is proud to be pioneering innovation in electric vehicle fleet optimization, helping telco operators reduce operational costs, meet corporate sustainability goals, simplify ESG compliance and reporting, and drive efficiencies towards net zero carbon emissions.
JUXTA is launching an autonomously operated JUXTA Nomad retail store at electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for drivers to past the time whilst charging their vehicles.
The store aims to support customers in the rapidly expanding EV charging sector and can be fully installed and operational within 12 hours.
JUXTA is a US-based corporate start-up formed in 2022 by Vontier, a global industrial technology company, which also incorporates Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a global supplier of fuelling and convenience store equipment.
Om Shankar, JUXTA Co-founder and CEO, said:
“Our mission is to support station operators transitioning from traditional hydrocarbon fuel stations to EV charging points and collaborate with established retail brands to extend their presence beyond fuel pumps by adding value to the charging station experience and driving top-line growth.
“EV players have always known that they have to solve the retail challenge on their sites, but until now, there has been no immediate solution – JUXTA provides that solution. The JUXTA Nomad is the world’s most technologically advanced walk-in vending machine. All our customers need to do is take delivery, connect to electricity power, stock the shelves, cut the ribbon and then walk away, leaving the Nomad to start retailing immediately.”
The fully autonomous nature of the JUXTA Nomad removes operator dependency on fixed human labor, eradicating the challenge of finding and retaining staff that currently blight the retail sector.
While waiting for their vehicles to charge, drivers and passengers can enjoy the ultimate quick and convenient retail experience. With no need to download an app or register for membership, shoppers can gain instant access to the JUXTA Nomad with the touch of a debit or credit card.
Kia have announced plans to use recycled plastic from a 55-ton haul recently reclaimed from the Pacific Ocean in its new EV models.
The record-breaking amount of plastic was reclaimed by Kia’s global partner, The Ocean Cleanup. The partnership between the two back in April 2022 came as part of Kia’s promised transformation into a leading sustainable mobility solutions provider.
Charles Ryu, Senior Vice President and Head of the Global Brand & CX Division at Kia Corp., said:
“The record catch of plastic brought to shore by The Ocean Cleanup is tangible proof of how technology can deliver sustainable solutions at scale.
“Initiatives such as this one perfectly align with Kia’s transition to a sustainable mobility solutions provider and our Plan S strategy, through which we embrace the needs of our customers and the protection of our environment by acting as a responsible corporate citizen.”
The Ocean Cleanup, is an international non-profit project with the mission of ridding the oceans of plastic. The group landed its record-breaking plastic catch at Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada. The plastic was removed from the Pacific Ocean using The Ocean Cleanup’s System 002 extraction technology following a voyage through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP).
Recycling of the plastic will begin shortly, and Kia will use a proportion of the material in future models. This policy aligns with Kia’s commitment to provide sustainable mobility solutions that have a measurable impact on achieving sustainability at scale.
The Ocean Cleanup develops and deploys large-scale systems to concentrate plastic in the ocean for periodic removal. The plastic is tracked and traced through DNV’s chain of custody model to certify claims of origin when recycling it into new products. To curb the tide via rivers, The Ocean Cleanup has developed Interceptor Solutions to halt and extract riverine plastic before it reaches the ocean.
Webfleet has entered into a partnership with new e-fleet solutions provider VEV to accelerate commercial EV fleet adoption.
The fleet management software provider announced their partnership with VEV, provider of end-to-end EV transition solutions from EV fleet strategy through site design to operation.
As well as initial site electrification, charge point infrastructure installation, and electric vehicle sourcing and financing, the company also supports ongoing EV fleet operations. vehicles, journeys and drivers.
Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV, said:
“Webfleet is a critical component of the electrification journey, from initial planning to in-service operational optimisation.
“The data is vital for VEV to optimise the design of the EV transition to avoid costly over-specification of vehicles, chargers and depot energy infrastructure.”
The partnership aligns with Bridgestone’s E8 Commitment and its eight values – Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease and Empowerment – which serves as a guide for Bridgestone’s transformation into a sustainable solutions company.
Taco van der Leij, Vice President Webfleet Europe at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, said:
“Webfleet is helping businesses worldwide to achieve their sustainability ambitions, but we recognise that the solutions needed by fleets to successfully transition to zero emission vehicles come from collaboration.
“This partnership demonstrates how much the role of the fleet manager is changing. In addition to managing vehicle operations, EV fleet managers must be able to optimise energy consumption to minimise downtime, cut charge times and optimise battery health as a critical asset.”
Webfleet telematics data intends to play a pivotal role in shaping initial EV strategy by informing vehicle journey times, duration, frequency and ‘return to depot’ behaviour. It will then enable fleet managers to track range, energy consumption and mechanical status in real time.
Hyundai Motors have put their Chongqing plant up for sale at $505 million as part of a restructure to boost the company’s car sales and presence in the Chinese market.
The Korean automaker will also be selling their Changzou plant by the end of the year, reducing Hyundai’s total number of operational factories in China from five to two.
A spokesperson for Hyundai commented that details about the buyer of the plant and date of sale have not yet been confirmed. The sale of the plant comes just two months after the automaker announced plans to reconstruct its Chinese business.
The Chongqing plant was built as part of a joint venture with Beijing Automotive Group and began production in 2017 with a capacity of 30,000 units in annual production. However, operations at the plant were halted a year ago after a nosedive in car sales.
Hyundai Motor and Kia sold around 1.8 million vehicles in China in 2016, but this plummeted to 909,000 in 2019 and around 339,000 last year.
The starting price of the plant equates to around 3.68 billion yuan.
Electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure is doing a lot to accustom the clean energy transition, but what are its main barriers? James Fox, SVP North America at EVBox, makes the case that charging infrastructure is not doing enough to accommodate EV drivers.
There are multiple challenges that come with EV charging infrastructure, such as plug and cable compatibility, maintenance of stations, complicated charging services, and many more. Fox speaks out about all of these issues and explains how they are all impeding the push for electrification.
EVBox is an EV equipment supplier who believes in the power of electric mobility to transform transportation and enable a clean energy future. Fox outlines that their mission is to empower society to embrace electric mobility with their complete electric vehicle charging solutions.
Watch the full interview to hear all about the challenges that face the future of electrification and Fox’s personal opinions on whether the clean energy transition is truly achievable.
Would you like to see James Fox speak and meet the rest of the EVBox team at MOVE America? Buy your tickets to the event here whilst our current discount lasts!
Adam Bazih, head of Stellantis Ventures, spoke at MOVE 2023 about his experience and how the event had gone “above and beyond expectations” and even detailed his personal enjoyments from the event.
Stellantis Ventures is the first Stellantis corporate venture fund which targets early and later-stage startup companies who are developing cutting-edge technologies for the automotive and mobility sectors and are focused on improving outcomes for both individual customers and society as a whole.
Bazih also discussed why the company is helping the push for electrification in the automotive and how they are doing so by supporting start-ups in mobility.
