C2I 2022: Data & Connectivity winner - Optimise Prime

The UK’s journey to Net Zero includes several laudable plans that make great headlines for politicians but can create headaches for the engineers expected to implement them.

Among them is phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, a move that will cut noise and greenhouse gas emissions but will present new challenges to the UK’s electricity grid system.

A notable burden on the grid will come from the commercial fleets that are predicted to purchase 60 per cent of all new electric vehicles. This sales forecast might bring a degree of cheer to automotive OEMs, but one rapid 50kW charger uses roughly the same amount of electricity capacity as 25 homes, which presents significant infrastructure challenges and overhead costs.

It was this challenge that was at the forefront of UK Power Networks’ Optimise Prime project, the world’s largest commercial electric vehicle (EV) trial, a collaboration between the transport and energy sectors aiming to cut the cost of large-scale fleets switching to electric vehicles.