GoMetro has been selected as an SME partner for the Freight Innovation Fund (FIF) Accelerator Cohort 3. The mission of the Accelerator is to support SMEs in unlocking greater efficiency in UK cargo and freight transport, using data and advanced technology to shape decisions that enable a net zero logistics future.
Managed by the Connected Places Catapult, the Accelerator is part of a wider £7m fund launched in 2023. GoMetro’s FIF Accelerator grant will support work on a six-month trial with Maritime Transport and Welch’s Transport, deploying EV-FIT, GoMetro’s telematics-driven EV transition solution powered by Bridge.
FIF and partnerships
Group founder and GoMetro CEO, Justin Coetzee, is excited at the opportunity. “The grant is a fantastic validation for GoMetro in the UK freight market. Implementing our solution with major logistics players is a valuable opportunity.”
During the six-month trial with Maritime Transport and Welch’s Transport, the focus will be on fleet decarbonisation and insights to EV transition. Deploying the Bridge fleet management platform and EV-FIT solution, GoMetro will collect and analyse fleet movement data at a specific depot.
For GoMetro, it is an opportunity to show how Bridge and EV-FIT gather and process data, revealing valuable insights for route optimisation, EV vehicle specifications, and charging infrastructure needs. Helping partners and companies understand the EV needs of a heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) fleet.
Mastering telematics and EV data analysis
GoMetro’s Bridge telematics aggregator streamlines the process of fleet data collection and processing, unlocking key insights to support an EV transition plan. As a fleet visibility tool it has proven that GoMetro’s product developers and implementation specialists can unlock the power of multiple telematics sources into a single screen UX interface.
Viewable and shareable between many users, Bridge creates awareness and supports rapid responses to route, port, or delivery issues, helping drivers and fleet managers to minimise delays and downtime.
Bridge lies at the heart of GoMetro’s EV-FIT solution, with our Head of EV Transition, Dr Christopher de Saxe, leading the project. “Given the complexity of lorry operations and the upfront vehicle and infrastructure investments at stake, an effective EV transition plan must be customised to suit the unique operating characteristics of each fleet. Telematics data is the key to unlocking this.”
Dr de Saxe is excited about the potential of GoMetro’s proven solutions for the FIF project.
“We’re honoured to be part of the FIF Accelerator, working with leading UK logistics providers like Maritime Transport and Welch’s Transport to trial our EV-FIT and Bridge solutions. The outputs from the trial will help accelerate Maritime’s EV transition journey and will in turn help us to refine our solutions to address the needs of other UK HGV fleets.”
Working towards EV fleets
An estimated 2000 HGV fleet depots will need to undergo EV transition assessments annually leading up to 2050, steering approximately £2bn of annual vehicle investment. Each transport and cargo company has a unique fleet profile and route challenges, requiring specific assessments and insights to achieve future compliance.
Recharging infrastructure is crucial to ensuring that battery-powered HGVs deliver all the operational efficiency and air quality benefits, without compromising delivery timetables. For legacy freight companies, port authorities and cargo contractors, there’s a lot of technology anxiety and uncertainty.
For the UK’s future HGV fleet needs, the selection of EV specifications and their corresponding charging infrastructure is critical. Relevant EV fleet data insights and powertrain transition guidance are issues that many operators in the transport sector are challenged by.
GoMetro’s FIF trial will use Bridge and EV-FIT to generate relevant, robust, insightful data to help transport companies shape better decisions for their future EV HGVs and fleet needs.
