A new smart system aimed at fleet and infrastructure owners to manage charging in the most energy efficient way is to be launched following the signing of an MoU by infrastructure firm AECOM and Zapinamo.

Coventry-based Zapinamo provides the technology that will make the fleet management system possible

EV fleets and owners of charging infrastructure from any manufacturer will be able to monitor how much and when electricity is being used, as well as the energy source. Owners can ensure they are meeting carbon reduction commitments by using renewable energy provision, whilst integrating the management of the new technology into Enterprise Management Systems (EMS) software, the companies said.

Co-ordinating chargers and charging cycles across multiple locations and user groups, should enable a fleet to manage energy costs more effectively. This will enable companies to balance energy cost with convenience, demand and emissions.

Coventry-based Zapinamo is to provide the technology that makes the system possible, through the certification of the energy source and communication with any charger at any location. It does this through its OCPP2.0 standard compliant charge station management system. AECOM brings its energy systems knowledge and will be responsible for integrating the solution into clients’ EMS.

The client’s user groups can include fleet, staff, public, visitors and contractors depending on the nature of business and its requirements. Cost capture or payment processing is through either a single contactless payment card or by ISO15118 vehicle recognition – the latter automatically recognises a vehicle when it is plugged in and does not require any user input.

Users of the system will receive visualisations which lay out their energy and carbon use. Machine learning can be applied to the results to help further reduce carbon and consumption.

AECOM director of Zero Carbon Energy Systems, Sam Mackilligin, said: “We’re going to see a rapid transition to electric vehicles and the benefits these bring through the reduction in carbon emissions can’t be compromised by inefficient energy use when vehicles are being charged. Organisations and businesses will be increasingly accountable for their emissions and this system enables them to make smart choices around decisions such as where they buy energy from, what power they use, and what time they charge. Clients can accurately measure, manage and record carbon consumption, whilst reducing overall energy costs and use.”

Zapinamo chief executive Ian Stillie added: “Energy and transport remain major contributors to air pollution and climate change, but there is positive change underway. With worldwide calls to ‘build back better’ from the pandemic, taking steps to improve infrastructure is imperative so we can apply scalable and efficient green smart energy, grow the EV market and contribute towards the government’s target to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050. Our solution employs an integrated energy management system and smart stored energy units, encouraging the use of self-reliant, sustainable solutions. We believe that energy stored systems managed by edge technologies – that is, an energy management system – are the solution to solve the infrastructure equation to promote a zero-tailpipe culture and enable green smart cities, so we can have cleaner air and healthier lives.”