Transport + Energy spoke to Michael Ayres, Managing Director of Flexible Power Systems (FPS), to get the lowdown on its technological solutions to assist in fleet decarbonisation.
Tell us about your business and how it sits within the transport and energy landscape…
Flexible Power Systems (FPS) provides software solutions for commercial fleet operators moving to, or already operating, an electric commercial vehicle fleet as part of their net zero journey.
We’re a team bringing together over 200 years of experience in providing technology solutions that bring together AI, data aggregation and modelling software platforms to decarbonise commercial transport via electrification. Our solutions sit at the intersection of transport, energy, and technology.
Our Operate platform integrates data from across the business to deliver optimised fleet charging profiles and day-to-day operational processes that match EV range availability against journeys and tasks.
At the heart of our range of modular solutions is optimisation and load control. ‘FPS Operate’ and ‘FPS TRU Manager’ automate dynamic smart charging schedules to optimise charging within site energy constraints for electric vehicles.
For customers looking to make the switch to electric fleet operations, we have a Plan offer. This service uses modelling techniques to establish whether depot-based fleets can operate within existing capacity constraints. Using a data-rich approach, it “right sizes” electric vehicles (EVs) and chargers to avoid overspecification.
This approach makes the best use of what’s currently available to hasten the adaptation to electric whilst considering future requirements and the integration of distributed energy resources. We believe that where upgrades can be avoided, then they should be. That’s possible with FPS’ dynamic smart charging. Fleets therefore can avoid or minimise site capacity upgrades, reducing capex and hastening adoption.
We believe that our set of solutions can provide operators with confidence to plan for, deploy, operate, and report on the operation and carbon reducing performance of commercial EVs. This allows them to satisfy customer and shareholder demand by accelerating the achievement of Scope emission targets.
What are your decarbonisation goals and targets both in the near term and by 2050?
FPS is a small, lean business with hybrid working patterns and therefore has a minimal carbon footprint. Our solutions use cloud resources and data storage, and this undoubtedly reduces carbon use compared on premises solutions.
Commercial vehicles and Transport Refrigeration Units (TRUs) are the most polluting vehicles on our roads and in depots. It is our mission to help businesses currently running diesel vans, trucks, and TRUs to meet regulated decarbonisation targets with measurable efficiencies achieved through optimised planning and/ or operational performance. It is an infinitely scalable model that will make a large and measurable difference to the decarbonisation goals of our customers.
In what ways have you collaborated with other sectors and businesses, across both the public and private sectors?
Our solutions are focussed on providing vehicle electrification solutions to fleet operators. Whilst we are sector agnostic, clearly the transition to EVs has different challenges according to application and duty cycles.
We work with public and private sector fleets, and with a tailored response across different sectors.
We also have a strong research and development focus and collaborate extensively with academic institutions. For example, we currently collaborate with the Universities of Cambridge, Heriot-Watt, and Greenwich through our involvement with Centre for Sustainable Road Freight and Project JOLT. We also consistently engage with Government supported activities through, for example, Innovate UK and the Accelerators.
What is your biggest challenge as a company?
Our biggest challenge is lack of market awareness – or belief – that there are solutions that can benefit operators (which also means benefitting their drivers and customers, and the planet) right now.
As part of deploying our services we are helping early adopter fleets demonstrate that EVs can deliver financial and operational benefits today.
There are still challenges to be overcome though like the cashflow implications of upfront capital.
What would you like to see from the UK Government?
Clear signals in relation to ZEV mandate targets and phase out dates so everyone knows what they are working towards. Ideally, we would also like to see some of the disincentives to investing in infrastructure and sharing it addressed.
How do you see the sector changing and progressing in the next 5, 10, 15 years?
In five years (2030), we will be at a key point in the life of the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate.
Hopefully, Government support will mean that electric cars and vans will be the norm and the early progress we have seen with electric heavy good vehicles (HGVs) in 2023-24 will have translated into operational adoption, with shared charging infrastructure aiding transition.
In 10 years, HGV electrification will have gathered pace. EVs will be proving their operational worth and the business case will have been conclusively proven.
In 15 years, I hope that fossil-fuelled commercial vehicles will be a thing of the past. We’ll take for granted the environmental, financial, operational, and collaboration benefits that electrification has brought about: innovative approaches to solving challenges along the way, like FPS’ data driven approach to active fleet and charger management, will have become business as usual.
The news comes as Transport + Energy launches its Fleet Electrification Forum this year. Find out more information here.
Image of Michael Ayres courtesy of FPS
