Fleet smart charging solution backed by Government funding

Miralis Data, a transport-focused software, and data science company, have secured funding to extend their electric vehicle (EV) fleet smart charging research.

The project, which is funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) in partnership with Innovate UK, is set to enable Miralis and project partners Envisij and Mina, to move their smart EV charging from feasibility to testing on real fleets with and tackle emerging challenges.

The project, Fleet Connected Smart Charging (FCSM), is set to produce a solution that enables fleets and their host sites to transition to EVs ‘quicker’ and ‘more efficiently’, said Miralis.

Will Maden, research director at Miralis, said: “One of the biggest crunch points for larger fleets transitioning to electric vehicles will be managing the supply of electricity.

“Most fleet managers will face challenges including how much charge different vehicles require, whilst trying to balance the most cost-effective way to charge and ensuring that site capacity is not compromised.

“The results of our partnership with Envisij and Mina on this project could be a real accelerator for the electrification of fleets.

"We’re excited to break down the barriers to transition and make EV charging more accessible, cost-effective and easier to deliver.”

The project will balance the expected charge needed for a varied fleet with the site’s electricity capacity.

Energy management company Envisij will be partnering with Miralis to report real-time and projected site power capacity and site demand to Fuuse/Miralis.

Miralis said it will devise a smart charging solution to optimise the remaining capacity, charging vehicles within cost and capacity parameters.

Lack of EV charging points is preventing more people from adopting EVs, according to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

EV payments start-up Mina will be focusing on home charging for fleets within the project, allowing the smart charging solution to be applied where fleets charge vehicles at employees’ homes.

Mina’s fleet charging solution allows employees to charge at home, where fleet managers receive one single invoice each month that captures both home and public charging together for their entire fleet.

Within the FCSC project, they will begin testing the benefits of smart charging fleet vehicles at employees’ homes for the first time.

The project is set to begin in August, with a solution expected in spring 2022.