TRL is responsible for developing and running the consumer and commercial fleet vehicle trials, with Cenex supporting design and hosting one of the trial sites.
TRL is also being supported by Element Energy and Baringa Partners, while other project team members include EDF Energy, Route Monkey, EV Connect and the University of Aberdeen.
The ETI is to invest up to £5 million in the project, which aims to reveal how the UK’s energy infrastructure needs to adapt to accommodate and encourage adoption of plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
“Cenex has built up an incredible knowledge over the last 10 years through trials of over 1,000 low carbon vehicles and we are excited to be using our world leading low carbon vehicle monitoring tool to run the consumer vehicle trials,” states Robert Evans, CEO of Cenex.
“Light vehicles account for up to 20% of UK CO2 emissions and are a major contributor to congestion and urban air quality,” comments ETI project manager Nick Eraut.
“So it is important that emissions from the light vehicle sector are reduced if the UK’s 2050 emissions targets are to be met cost effectively,” he continues.
“This unique, strategic project will help us to understand the optimum future systems which will maximise the benefits of integrating low carbon vehicles into the UK’s energy system.”
“We’re already starting to see a sizeable shift in acceptance of electric vehicles in the UK,” states TRL project manager Jenny Stannard.
“However, as more vehicles become electrified, we need to understand the pressure this extra demand will put on our energy networks, as well as the potential opportunities it will bring,” she adds.