Essex-based health and care organisation Provide is deploying an artificial intelligence-based journey prediction solution across its expanding Nissan Leaf EV fleet to eliminate range anxiety and enable greater fleet utilisation.

The service operates using an OBD2 plug that monitors live driver, vehicle and other data sources

The newly launched Spark EV technology works by collecting live driver, vehicle and other data sources, such as the weather and congestion, via an in-car sensor and then using its cloud-based machine learning algorithms to provide more accurate journey predictions for electric vehicles. According to the makers, it can ensure up to 20% more journeys are completed between charges.

Fleet managers and drivers enter their proposed journey into Spark’s smartphone app and get advice on whether they will be able to complete it – based on live data, previous trips and charge point locations. This delivers reassurance to fleet managers and drivers that they will be able to schedule and complete jobs without running out of charge.

The solution is being deployed by staff-owned community interest company Provide, which has a large number of mobile staff who visit patients in their own homes, community clinics and community hospitals. As part of its EV rollout Provide is installing charge points at five of its sites and is planning to expand its fleet of Nissan Leaf EVs.

“We understand the benefits of EVs in terms of increasing efficiency and demonstrating our green credentials to the communities we serve,” said Philip Richards, executive finance director and company secretary, Provide. “At the same time our patients rely on us being in the right place at the right time, meaning it is vital that our EV fleet is used efficiently, without staff needing to worry about not being able to complete their schedules due to running out of charge. By quickly providing us with more accurate journey predictions Spark EV removes range anxiety and is therefore accelerating our EV adoption.”