Fuuse wins V2X grant funding and promotes public charging

EV charge point management platform, Fuuse, has won almost £200k in funding to develop an end-to-end V2X solution at the same time as aiming to promote the public charging network.

The project will see the development of a vehicle-to-everything DC microgrid solution for fleets. It aims to provide support for the National Grid as EV uptake pushes energy demand.

Distribution

The scheme with Turbo Power Systems (TPS) and fleet electrification specialists Gridicity, explores the efficient distribution of energy between EV batteries and other site components such as buildings, other vehicles and local generation sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines.

TPS are providing their Velox ultra rapid EV charging hardware, which can both charge and discharge vehicle batteries to enable V2X, and Gridicity join the consortium to provide smart intelligent forecasting of energy demand and supply.

Fuuse will collate these insights and determine where the energy in the EV batteries will be moved from and to. Powering the testbed on which to prove the capabilities of the new solution, is PNDC (Power Network Distribution centre) based at the University of Strathclyde. 

Self-sufficient

Dr Will Maden, COO of Fuuse, said: “This project is another step toward organisations becoming self-sufficient when it comes to their site energy infrastructure. Fleets who can harness and redistribute their EV battery energy where it is most needed will not only reap operational and financial rewards but become a key player to providing the support the UK will need in its EV rollout goals.”

Nigel Jakeman, Engineering & Business Development Director at TPS said: “Deployed in our Velox chargers, V2X will provide resilient and flexible charging solutions for our customers enabling transfer of power not just to the vehicle but from the vehicle to supply local premises, the grid, battery storage and even other vehicles.”

Alicia Blatiak, CEO and Founder of Gridicity, said: “The V2X solution we are working on as a consortium will be of benefit to customer sites, making the most of energy tariffs, local energy generation and offering grid services. We are pooling expertise to operationalise the potential of V2X technology.”

Promotion

The news comes as the firm also aims to promote public charge points and availability as well as integrating with Zap-Map, Google Maps and Apple Maps.

The platform is also promoting a new feature allowing organisations with public chargers to advertise live charger status to EV drivers. Drivers can now find Fuuse powered chargers through their preferred map tools, see real time availability of those chargers, and check whether they are currently working.

Additionally, drivers can also access Fuuse chargers through preferred charge card suppliers, including Paua, Allstar and Octopus Electroverse. 

Driver increase

Fuuse piloted their new charger promotion services with Lancashire-based Charge My Street, who install and operate community funded public EV charge points. Last month, the firm’s chargers saw an 80% increase in unique drivers and an 85% increase in charging sessions, since before the trial began.  

Daniel Heery, Director of Strategy at Charge My Street, said: “Charge My Street is committed to making the charging experience as simple as possible.”

Dan Lucy Lloyd, Chief Projects Officer for Fuuse, said: “Whilst there are indeed efforts that need to be made to increase overall charging infrastructure to support EV rollout in the UK, we must make better use of existing chargers that have been strategically placed to serve communities and visitors.”

Image courtesy of Fuuse

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