Commercial vehicles interact with a wide range of operational and smart city systems in urban environments. Where vehicles operate and how their drivers behave impacts the service experience, quality of life and safety of residents. EVs make these fleets even more interconnected with the communities in which they operate because they must share the electricity grid with the city's other occupants. The Smarter Logistics through In-vehicle, City and Energy Data (SLICED) demonstration project aims to enhance the efficiency, resilience and safety of logistics vehicle operations in the urban environments, improve customer experiences and reduce emissions and accidents. This will be achieved by combining new data types available from the Smart City and Grid systems with a set of Korean developed in vehicle safety systems. This collaboration extends development started in a successful feasibility study executed by UK partners (FPS, Cenex) and South Korean Partners (Thallos, Innoca, KETI and KAATA). FPS, a UK based SME, founded in 2018 on the principle that smart use of energy and vehicle data can dramatically reduce the costs and risk of commercial fleet electrification, will build and demonstrate an extended version of their existing EV logistics planning platform (FPS Operate). Cenex, a UK based RTO active in providing fleets and cities with net-zero transition support, will manage and evaluate a demonstration of the technology in live environments with John Lewis Partnership and Welch Group as well as working with a wider user group including HTC (a truck dealer), Wincanton (a 3PL) and Medequip (a medical device distributor). Thallos and Innoca will supply a first- and second-generation set of driver and road condition monitoring systems to the trials. KETI are supporting data protocols and KAATA assessing in-vehicle regulatory aspects. The project will combine ongoing technology advancement, integration work between the partners' systems and 3rd party smart city and grid systems, live environment demonstration and technology roadmapping. Finally, an objective of the project is to establish a joint venture structure to allow commercialisation of the offers in UK and Korean markets as a stepping stone to wider international exploitation. The project is innovative because of the combination of UK EV and smart city technology with Korean driver analytic and safety systems to produce an integrated holistic fleet management platform that serves the needs of fleets and the communities in which they operate.

To apply cutting edge power electronics and control expertise to enable the further scale-up of electrification across the larger vehicles in commercial fleets, and their associated hardware and ancillary systems.

Project RESPONSEAI (Robust Emergency Services Performing Operations iN Electric with Artificial Intelligence) will examine how AI can be used in the development of an integrated zero-emission emergency service operations planning and dispatch platform. Flexible Power Systems (FPS) is a UK based SME, founded in 2018 on the principle that smart use of energy and vehicle data can dramatically reduce the costs and risk of commercial fleet electrification, will undertake the technical feasibility and design of a data sharing platform to inform the dispatch system of planning inputs for electric vehicle and charging. FPS will demonstrate the benefits of their platform solution in a digital twin environment. FPS will investigate the feasibility of applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, specifically Deep Reinforced Learning (DRL) to the electric vehicle ambulance dispatch problem. AI has been applied to ambulance dispatch by others but not with the added complexity of an electrified fleet where the availability of charging resources and individual vehicle range will also be considered. Our approach will keep the human in the loop, with the AI providing improved data and dispatch scenarios facilitating fast, efficient decision making by the operator. Cenex, a not-for-profit research organisation active in providing emergency service fleets with net-zero transition support, will bring together a stakeholder group defining the requirements of future electric emergency vehicle dispatch platforms and what AI can bring to increase their productivity in terms of usefulness and efficiency to the dispatcher and emergency service personnel, and in providing better outcomes to end users, such as patients. The stakeholder group represents a total of 19 blue-light fleets who are the Problem Owners benefiting from the productivity gains -- in terms of response time and health outcomes -- that AI can bring to dispatch. Cenex will carry out research to understand the decision-making process for dispatching emergency vehicles and how that could be improved by the use of AI to integrate and process additional data sources, particularly those related to the widespread and routine integration of zero emission (e.g., battery electric) vehicles such as battery state of charge, remaining range and availability of recharging infrastructure, into emergency service response fleets. FPS/Cenex has an ongoing innovate funded project (project RESPONSE) which is developing a zero-emission emergency vehicle focused logistics management system. This project, RESPONSEAI, builds on the current project by exploring the feasibility of incorporating AI and providing AI driven dispatching recommendations to emergency service fleets.

Cities across the world are developing and supporting digital platforms (Smart City systems) to encourage the use of technology and innovation to improve the quality of life, sustainability and resilience of urban areas. The Smarter Logistics through In-vehicle, City and Energy Data (SLICED) project aims to enhance the efficiency, resilience and safety of logistics vehicle operations in the urban environment, improve customer experiences and reduce emissions and accidents. This will be achieved through combining new data types available from the Smart City environment with an innovative EV logistics management and planning software package. The project is collaboration between UK partners (FPS, Cenex) and South Korean Partners (Thallos, Innoca, KETI and KAATA). Cenex, a non-for profit research organisation active in providing fleets and cities with net-zero transition support will bring together a stakeholder user group to define customer led use cases which enhance logistic operations and the urban environment through data driven decision making. Flexible Power Systems (FPS) is a UK based SME, founded in 2018 on the principle that smart use of energy and vehicle data can dramatically reduce the costs and risk of commercial fleet electrification, will design and test a proof-of-concept system integrating new data types within their existing EV logistics planning platform (FPS Operate). Thallos and Innoca will develop smart in-vehicle driver monitoring system focused on providing driver warnings for accident prevention and feedback on driving efficiency, and integration into UK fleet management systems, such as the FPS Operate system, will be undertaken. KETI are supporting data transmission capability and KAATA assessing regulatory aspects of the solution of the smart in-vehicle driver monitoring system. The project partners will combine technology developments and undertake detailed planning for a demonstration project to prove the expected benefits of the products. Demonstration will be undertaken in a UK city, with the potential to also demonstrate in South Korea. This project is innovative because it combines and uses existing data in new ways to enhance the logistics operations as well as enabling a demand for city data. Demand for data is a key barrier holding back investment in Smart City infrastructure and the societal benefits they can enable through leveraging technology to enhance decision-making, citizen engagement, safety, and sustainability by improving services, cutting costs, and creating a more efficient, equitable urban environment.

Flexible Power Systems (FPS) have developed a novel logistics and electric vehicle platform for the optimisation of battery electric light commercial vehicle ('eLCV') delivery schedules. The platform integrates electric vehicle and charging infrastructure constraints with logistics requirements to optimise the delivery schedule. Demonstrated benefits in light commercial vehicle fleets are reductions in the number of vehicles and charging stations and lower energy costs. FPS are now developing a variant of the existing platform targeting the heavy-duty vehicle delivery sector. This sector is much more complex with interactions between supplier and the customer vehicle fleets, and intermodal between charging resources at rail heads and ports. Efficient sharing of charging resources at different locations between different organisations would improve the efficiency of the whole logistics system and reduce costs. However, this requires the sharing of commercially sensitive data and the collection of data which organisations currently have no commercial interest in doing. These factors pose a significant barrier to adoption of this approach. In this project, FPS and Cambridge University will work together to map and investigate the feasibility of data exchange standards and protocols to unlock the opportunity of integration and optimisation of multiple owner-managed charging infrastructures. Both electric and hydrogen fuelled zero emissions vehicles will be considered. Both types of vehicles are likely to form part of the future HGV vehicle fleet and will have significant constraints in range and availability of refuelling / charging infrastructure.

Our emergency services, like other organisations, are creating strategies for their net-zero transition. A key barrier to the introduction of zero-emission emergency response vehicles is ensuring operational performance and resilience considering limited electric vehicle range and recharging times. A future emergency service dispatch system will need to make decisions based on data from a broad range of sources, understand journey energy requirements and optimise energy and charging infrastructure use. Project RESPONSE (Robust Emergency Services Performing Operations iN Electric) will examine the barriers within the supply chain holding back the development of an integrated zero-emission emergency service operations planning and dispatch platform. Cenex, a not for profit research organisation active in providing emergency service fleets with net-zero transition support, will bring together a stakeholder group defining the requirements of future electric emergency vehicle dispatch platforms, considering barriers and solutions to development and commercialisation. The stakeholder working group represents a total of 19 blue-light fleets who are the Problem Owners benefiting from the optimal sharing of transport and energy data. Flexible Power Systems (FPS) is a UK based SME, founded in 2018 on the principle that smart use of energy and vehicle data can dramatically reduce the costs and risk of commercial fleet electrification, will undertake the technical feasibility and design of a data sharing platform to inform the dispatch system of planning inputs for electric vehicle and charging. FPS will demonstrate the benefits of their platform solution in a digital twin environment. Project RESPONSE will study the barriers and solutions to data sharing in electric vehicle emergency dispatch systems in two key areas. The first, reviews quality and availability of vehicle, charger, grid, shift and emergency data and how it can be best fed securely to dispatch systems for robust decarbonised emergency services. The second will look at wider benefits that an integrated data platform can bring and how data held by different supply-chain actors can be shared. Wider benefits include integrating electric vehicle scheduling inputs across fleets and services to manage responses to cross-boundary events and national emergencies where electric vehicle response needs co-ordinating on a national level. Data sharing could also allow infrastructure sharing and enhance procurement practices.

The government has set a target to end the sale of ICE vans by 2030 and allow only vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions to be sold from 2035\. Groups like EV100 represent companies going beyond these targets to achieve complete transitions to EV before 2030\. The implication is that with 6 year ownership cycles, these fleets need to purchase 100% EVs from 2024\. Electrifying fleets is not simple. Planning is complicated by a range of vehicle and infrastructure choices that have to fit within operating and power constraints. Deployments can require new technologies and suppliers as well as previously unconnected parts of a business to co-operating. Operations can require management of mixed assets with differing capabilities as well as real time optimisation of power consumption to minimise costs. Flexible Power Systems (FPS) is a Big Data and IoT technology company that simplifies commercial vehicle EV transitions. Our three offers help customers achieve cost effective and rapid transitions: * **fps plan** is a decision support tool that uses Big Data to model the impact of EV and infrastructure choices on costs, emissions and electrical demand so that lowest cost and risk transition pathways can be achieved. * **fps deploy** is a suite of technical and project management services to ensure EVs fit operator requirements and deployment risks are minimised. * **fps operate** is a platform for managing EVs and infrastructure. It aggregates relevant data from vehicles, chargers and wider business and then uses it to perform real time optimisation of charging and vehicle allocation as well as a number of monitoring and support services that maximise uptime. The platform was developed and demonstrated with Waitrose to support their eComm operation in an earlier InnovateUK funded project. Today much of FPS' revenue comes from plan and deploy offers. The longer term opportunity is in SaaS based revenues from the fps operate platform. This project will undertake several pilots in new sectors, prepare the platform for scaling and develop new features that further differentiate the product allowing us to move from our current consulting model to being a SaaS business with a platform managing tens of thousands of vehicles in multiple countries. The optimisation services we offer reduce EV transition costs through more efficient use of vehicle investment, lower charging costs and reduced expenditure on connection capacity. Our products therefore accelerate the transition to EV for our customers by improving the business case and ensuring feasibility.

Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) contribute around 15% of UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road transport and 33% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, whilst making up <10% of vehicles on our roads. Government policy, as described in the Road to Zero report, is for all new van sales to be zero emissions by 2040, and 40% of new vans to be ultra-low emissions by 2030. This will require rapid increases in uptake of electric vans from the current base of around 1500 electric vans out of 370,000 total vans sold in the UK in 2018. EVs differ from diesel vehicles in terms of range, maximum payload, and availability of energy infrastructure. Operational implications for the logistics sector that arise due to these differences are not well understood, outside of a few narrow use cases. In future, autonomous vehicles will also need to be considered, as the removal of driver constraints is likely to change the optimality of solutions to vehicle allocation and routing problems. Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) has the potential to mitigate fleet integration challenges, by making charging sessions quicker to initiate and more easily controlled remotely, which has benefits for opportunity charging. User acceptance by drivers may be helped through timesaving benefits in handling plugs and cables. This project will demonstrate the benefits and costs of WEVC through six principal approaches: i) a hardware demonstration of high power WEVC (22kW) on 4 vans, 2 users, where costs and benefits will be measured; ii) a manufacturing study to understand future capability and costs; iii) simulation of logistics operations using real world data to explore the impact of WEVC; iv) assessment of the network impact of charging/logistic hubs (WEVC-MFCs) enabled by WEVC; v) development of a scheduling tool to solve charging session conflicts; vi) site selection, design and planning (e.g. vendor selection and finance) for a full scale demonstration of the WEVC-MFC concept at the project's conclusion. The project brings together logistics modelling expertise from Heriot-Watt University (HWU) and low carbon and vehicle technology, energy infrastructure and commercial knowledge from Flexible Power Systems (FPS). City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) will participate in the project as a vehicle user and work with FPS and HWU to find follow on sites. Lear Corporation (Lear) will advise on WEVC technology, vehicle integration and long-term price trajectories. Hitachi Vehicle Capital Solutions (HVCS) will support expansion of the engaged customer group.

"Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) account for 15% of UK GHG emissions from road transport and 33% of NOx emissions, while making up just 10% of vehicles. In commercial fleets LGVs are heavily utilised to meet businesses' and household consumers' demands for increasing service quality and extended delivery windows, and LGVs often operate at high load factors for maximum productivity. Several electric vehicle (EV) options have been brought to market by OEMs in this segment but uptake remains low because of limited range and overall higher total costs of ownership. Focusing on home delivery operations within the retail and parcel delivery sectors, the project will explore i) the benefits of wireless charging for van fleets; ii) a novel micro-fulfilment logistics model that is more compatible with EVs and evolving market needs and iii) the benefits of combining micro-fulfilment and wireless charging infrastructure to create revenue opportunities from infrastructure sharing. The wireless charging benefits to be quantified during the project include: i) increased compatibility between vehicles and chargers (no need for multiple connector types on the vehicle or charger side, simple handling for future autonomous vehicles); ii) vehicle charging while handling payload and manoeuvring to maximise utilisation and increase flexibility; iii) reduced space and vehicle parking constraints and maintenance costs; iv) increased flexibility and convenience to click and collect customers who own EVs. The feasibility study will analyse vehicle movement data from up to 4 users to assess the share of activity that could already be met with available EVs and quantify the productivity and range benefits of replacing plug-in chargers with wireless chargers. We will then evaluate charger placement -- both in existing user facilities such as depots and stores as well as in newly developed micro-fulfilment centres (MFCs) -- to simultaneously maximise EV penetration, financial and environmental benefits. MFCs are small-footprint consolidation centres located close to consumers to maximise freight efficiency and collaboration and reduce LGV distance travelled. Revenue and business models for infrastructure installation, utilisation and ownership will be proposed and tested with customers, and a follow-on real-world demonstration plan will be developed. Flexible Power Systems (FPS) are an SME energy company who work with customers to optimise their energy usage across transport and stationary systems via technology deployment and asset management. Heriot-Watt University (HWU) are one of the UK's leading research institutions with academics who specialise in logistics and co-lead the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF)."

"Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) account for around 17% of UK GHG emission from road transport and 21% of NOx emissions, while making up just 5% of vehicle miles and 2% of vehicles. Tackling HGV emissions is challenging because they consume large quantities of energy, are used for business-critical logistics functions by a risk averse customer base and are typically sold in much smaller volumes than passenger cars making it harder to recover expensive R&D investments in alternative powertrains. To decarbonise an integrated approach is required incorporating new energy vectors, light-weighting and mileage reduction via increased connectivity, load consolidation between operators and incentives for customer behavioural change. Trailer technologies must evolve to accommodate this and increase the value that they add to logistics systems. Currently, trailers have limited features focused around load carrying, loading/unloading operations and sometimes temperature maintenance. Advanced features are usually reserved for tractor units because of different product pricing and vendor capabilities between truck and trailer sectors. Emerging technologies around energy storage, connectivity and light-weighting could allow trailers to contribute to cost and emission reduction goals in a variety of ways. E.g. by enabling range extension through an energy store capable of exporting power to the tractor units or by exploiting connectivity and interoperability for real time route optimisation and consolidation operations. The project's overall aim is to develop a concept that optimally utilises these technologies to maximise their impact. First we will capture the voice of the customer then deliver and assess the feasibility of an advanced trailer design with a leading body builder using an optimum mix of energy storage, light-weighting and connectivity technologies. The design will have benefitted from testing in a virtual test environment developed to mimic end user duty cycles. Finally, an exploitation and financing plan will be developed detailing how the design can be demonstrated in a representative environment and then industrialised through most appropriate business models. Flexible Power Systems (FPS) are an SME energy company who work with customers to optimise their energy usage across transport and stationary systems via technology deployment and asset management. Lawrence David (LD) are one of the UK's largest trailer builders with decades of commitment to innovation. Heriot Watt University (HWU) are one of the UK's leading research institutions with academics who specialise in logistics and co-lead the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF). [][0] [0]: https://flexpowerltd-my.sharepoint.com/personal/michael_ayres_flexpowerltd_com/Documents/Grant%20Projects/IDP14%20Bid/20171107IDP14V3MA.docx#_ftnref1"

"The commercial vehicle (CV) sector including HGVs, Light Vans, Buses and Coaches accounts for 34% of UK transport related CO2 emissions, globally HGVs contribute 7% emissions. They also impact air quality with about 39% of NOx and about 19% of PM2.5 emissions from transport coming from the sector, despite commercial vehicles accounting for less than 13% of the vehicles on the road. Electrification is one route to reduce the impact of this sector on the environment alongside route and roadmile optimisation, efficient driving programmes and retrofitting. CVs are a target for V2G because they: (i) congregate in large numbers at depots, (ii) schedule duty cycles in advance, (iii) have battery packs larger than those required for passenger vehicles and (iv) are owned by businesses who would be able to price battery life/energy revenue trade-offs if packaged appropriately. Whilst some projects have explored the feasibility of V2G for passenger vehicles, work in the CV space has been more limited because operators are risk averse and fleets are currently relatively small. Electrifying CVs is challenging; the distances they cover and vehicle mass are larger than those seen in the passenger car segment. Also because they congregate in large numbers, electrification can be curtailed by access to network infrastructure and their impacts on energy systems are complex. This project combines insights into CVs, logistics, technology development and energy markets with customer engagement to explore the role that electrification and V2G technology can play in tackling emissions from this sector. By pursuing a full stack of energy storage services, integrated with the site and network energy system and leveraging other CV operational efficiencies, we aim to deliver a business model for electrification to operators by matching vehicles and services to their needs. The key output of the project will be a deep understanding of customer perspectives and technology challenges alongside a set of viable business models (tested with all stakeholders) that can be replicated in the UK and abroad. A next step would be to demonstrate these models on some reference customer sites before wider roll out. There is also an opportunity to combine this exploration of the benefits of V2G in this sector with a more holistic piece of work seeking to reduce emissions from the sector being undertaken separately by Heriot Watt as part of its work with the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF) to develop CV sector specific business models."