Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Electric VehiclesLatestNews

GoMetro gets grant from Freight Innovation Fund

B2B software-as-a-service fleet management company GoMetro has been selected as a recipient of a grant from the Freight Innovation Fund.

With its trial partners, GoMetro will be collecting and analysing fleet movement data for a chosen depot, from which identify critical vehicle and infrastructure specification needs. The funding is the third tranche of the department’s Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator Programme. 

The programme is a £7 million government investment across three years to support the freight sector in deploying AI and automation to improve the way trains, lorries, vans, and ships carry parcels and goods.

It is funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered through Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport and place leadership.

EV-FIT is GoMetro’s electric vehicle (EV) feasibility and planning solution driven by the company’s telematics aggregation platform, Bridge. Telematics data provides insights into key operational metrics such as daily mileage and idle time at depots.

These insights help to identify the required vehicle and charging infrastructure specifications such as battery capacities and the number, power, and location of chargers. 

Group CEO and founder of GoMetro Justin Coetzee said:

“The grant will be used to finance a six-month trial with leading logistics companies Maritime Transport and Welch’s Transport to implement GoMetro’s EV-FIT solution for electric vehicle (EV) fleet transformation and the GoMetro Bridge fleet management software platform.”

“The grant is an amazing validation for GoMetro in the UK freight market, and implementing our solution with major logistics players is an incredible opportunity to show how our software platform can help fleet owners achieve better results,” Coetzee continues.

GoMetro’s EV-FIT project lead, Christopher de Saxe, said:

“I’m thrilled to be trialling our solution with MaritimeTransport and Welch’s Transport to address one of the UK’s biggest decarbonisation challenges. Data is fundamental to decarbonising UK road freight, and we have the tools needed to unlock key insights for the industry.”

Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:

“Freight is a crucial engine of our economy and it is only right we do all we can to improve working conditions, pioneer innovation and drive sustainability across the industry. 

“Our funding, combined with investment from the industry, will ensure lorry drivers can enjoy safer parking, a proper rest and a warm meal, while supporting UK businesses to harvest the best of technology to move freight faster, decarbonise our supply chain, and grow the economy for all.”

Chief Executive Officer at Connected Places Catapult, Erika Lewis, said:

“This programme gives bespoke support to SMEs, working hand-in-hand with industry as they trial their solutions in real-world environments. By supporting new ideas in freight, we are helping to unlock the sector’s potential to be greener and more efficient.”

“With our trial partners Maritime Transport and Welch’s Transport, we will be collecting fleet movement data using Bridge alongside the collection of important contextual non-telematics information. T

“The data will then be analysed to identify optimal routes, vehicles, and charging infrastructure needed for a successful EV pilot within the fleet. The outputs will help accelerate our partners’ EV transition journeys and will in turn help to refine the EV-FIT offering to address the needs of UK fleets.”

Image courtesy of Justin Coetzee and Christopher de Saxe courtesy of GoMetro

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