Projects

Started

Applied Research and Development

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Systems Analysis related to energy R&D

Mr J Coetzee
GOMETRO UK LIMITED

Collaborative R&D

Innovate UK

01 January 2026

28 February 2027

14 months

£282,038

£282,038

Unknown

London

Global - India

Mr J Coetzee, GOMETRO UK LIMITED

Mr H Austin, Innovate UK
Ms T Burton, University of Cambridge
Professor D Cebon, University of Cambridge
Mr J Newberry, IFS MO Company
Mr C Renvoize, Innovate UK

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are the most effective pathway to decarbonize heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses in the UK by 2050\. Despite early government-funded trials, widespread adoption faces challenges due to high upfront costs for new vehicles and infrastructure. To accelerate uptake, the sector needs to minimize costs, maximize vehicle utilization, and explore additional revenue streams. Charging in owned logistics facilities remains the preferred option for operators, with use of public charging networks seen as a costly last-resort. However some use cases will still require charging outside of depots. A key opportunity for innovation lies in collaboration between the bus and HGV sectors, wherein electric HGV fleets utilise unused EV bus charging infrastructure during daytime hours, extending their range of operation and providing depot owners with additional income. There is already evidence of this happening in the sector, but scalability requires a centralized system to identify, share, optimally match charging resources with HGV fleet operations. GoMetro's 'Bridge' software platform aggregates and makes sense of large amounts of HGV telematics data as evidenced in recent trials with Welch's and Maritime Transport. In this project we propose further development of the platform to address the current opportunity, including the addition of a charging site "layer" with visibility over shared infrastructure availability, and the development of an innovative "match-making" functionality to optimally match an HGV operation's geographical footprint with shared charging sites locations. High-fidelity vehicle energy consumption models developed by project partner Cambridge University will ensure accurate charging predictions. The developed technology will be localised and deployed in the Indian market by project partner Raman Roadways. Having identified the most beneficial collaboration use cases (i.e. specific deliveries and detailed collaborative EV charging plans), these will be trialled with our signed-on industry project supporters Welch's Transport and First Bus in the UK, and between Raman Roadways and Chartered Speed Ltd - an EV bus operator - in India. This project will unlock significant cost-savings in the electric HGV and bus sectors, thereby enabling an accelerated EV transition with reduced burden on the taxpayer. GoMetro will benefit from enhanced competitiveness and market share, Cambridge will benefit from commercializing important research work conducted over the last 10 years, and Raman Roadways will accelerate their own EV transition and aid GoMetro in accessing the Indian market.

15/10/26