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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
TOM SWALLOW MANAGING EDITOR NEIL PERRY CONTENT OFFICER SCOTT BIRCH JOHNSON GRAPHIC DESIGNER SAM HUBBARD DIRECTOR THOMAS LIVERMORE MANAGER KAYLEIGH SHOOTER CEO GLEN WHITE CHIEFThe digital ecosystem is growing beyond handheld devices to become home to the entirety of mobility and electric vehicle architecture seems to be the ultimate platform for enabling it to happen. As a result, technology is the critical factor in making sure EVs are available to all, charging is accessible to everyone, and that the world is made safer and a more convenient place to travel.
Varying in size and scale, transport can be managed by digital means to unlock its true potential both in the commercial world and on the urban streets where higher populations make it more difficult to travel. Speaking of travel, the cover story this month takes a different angle, addressing the luxury market and how sustainable mobility can be enjoyed to a completely new extent.
All of this month’s coverage represents a unified example of how electricity can impact the world.
TOM SWALLOW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF tom.swallow@bizclikmedia.com
024 COVER STORY
Electrified boats won’t leave you stranded
034 CAPGEMINI INVENT
Capgemini Invent helps companies hit their sustainable goals
052 CONNECTED CAR
A safety critical approach, driven by EVs’ ‘hidden hero’
060 FARADAY FUTURE
The leader in luxury electric vehicles
078 CHARGING & INFRASTRUCTURE
EVs meet the standards for connecting everything
086 FLEET & COMMERCIAL
FaaS prepares fleet operators for electric digital logistics
094 MOBILITY
Travelling less means travelling little
104 TOP TEN EV charging businesses
Not only are Latin American countries plagued by high GHG emissions, but the number of premature deaths resulting from transportrelated emissions is a cause for concern.
From an emissions perspective, LATAM is still a fair way from meeting decarbonisation targets, however that’s not to discredit the development of its energy network. The region has one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world with around 60% of its electricity (in 2018) sourced from hydroelectric power.
As countries in the far west are clearly committed to cycling natural resources to produce energy, LATAM turns its attention to air quality. Public-private partnerships will be responsible for encouraging more EV ownership accompanied by authorities’ efforts to urbanise transport for cleaner commuting.
Bogotá, Mexico City, and Santiago are the three cities leading EV adoption in the region.
The debate at the moment is often driven by cost. Yes, consumers want to be more sustainable, and they are slowly but surely becoming more receptive to the idea that EVs are the future. But, the cost of charging can seem like a complex topic for new EV drivers, so we thought we’d give you a better idea of how much it can cost to charge an electric car.
First of all, there’s the application. Whether you’re charging at home, work or a service station, energy will be available. But the question is: “How much will it cost?”
Home charging solutions come in various different forms, shapes and sizes, but according to the RAC, one of the UK’s leading providers of breakdown cover and roadside assistance, the typical cost of installing a home charging socket is around £800. This price is similar across the US, ranging from US$300 to US$1,000.
As for public charging, there are various options readily available depending on the means of payment.
According to the RAC, to charge a car at home in the UK can cost as little as £6 (approximately US$7.10), which, when compared to an ICE vehicle, must consider the number of miles generated during the charging period and the frequency that an EV is used. Thanks to smart charging capabilities, homeowners are able to sit back while their charging infrastructure monitors and optimises the charging performance and cost based on the frequency of use.
When it comes to charging with a public rapid or fast-charger, it can cost around £7–£10 (US$8–US$12) to charge to 80% of an electric car's capacity. However, drivers must note the variables in speed and cost as the battery capacity and charging time may dictate the overall cost.
Forget about commuting for a moment and take a look at the EV that is changing the game for off-road and mountain mobility—bringing the excitement
We’re often occupied by the idea of electric cars, buses, trucks, planes and boats, but there’s one environment left unaccounted for at certain times of the year.
The snowmobile is generally powered by fossil fuels, but Taiga Motors is taking an innovative approach to electrify it. Offering a range of the three snowmobiles, we’re specifically looking at its Nomad model, which is built for utility.
The company self-imposes rigorous performance and manufacturing standards to create revolutionary snowmobiles and a jet ski model that allow riders to live the dream in a clean, non-pollutant way.
510 kg
Torque: 170 Nm
62 miles
120 horsepower
Charging speeds (hours)
Level 1: 14
Level 2: 3.5
Level 3: 0.5
The Taiga Nomad is built for the outdoors and is 100% electrified, astonishing users with its power and speed, while surprising them with its silence. The ride is powered by the in-house Taiga operating system, which allows riders to optimise their performance and experience for varying rides, and industry-leading connectivity to suit the EV to the user’s skill level.
The Canadian company has the perfect surrounding environment and scenery as its testing ground from both the water to the mountains, creating a solution for transportation in the most rural areas of the country.
In 2022, Taiga won the Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas award and was named one of Time’s magazine’s 200 Best inventions of 2022.
The Taiga snowmobile reaches a market that is seemingly underserved with sustainable mobility options. For those looking to travel in rural Canada, and like climates where a car just isn’t feasible, the electric snowmobile will do wonders for riders.
We also see further applications of the Taiga snowmobile for last-mile delivery in countries with harsher winters and rougher terrain.
As the Founder & CEO, BLITZ MOTORS, Raphael Mosynski takes two-wheeler electrification on his shoulders, bringing e-mobility to, what he aims to be, a global audience
Raised in Belgium, I moved to London and earned an Economics & Finance degree. After 5-years working as an oil trader for Barclays Capital, I moved to Israel and created BLITZ MOTORS to make a change for a better world. Today, I am the founder and CEO of the publicly-listed multinational company that is scaling up and revolutionising the last mile delivery market.
EVs offer several advantages over traditional gasoline-powered vehicles including lower operating costs, reduced emissions, and quieter operation. Advances in battery technology have also made it possible for EVs to travel longer distances on a single charge, addressing
one of the main concerns of potential buyers. In addition, the battery cost has been decreasing over the years, opening up new opportunities for growth.
The fast-expanding charging network now makes it it easier for owners to recharge their vehicles, reducing concerns about range and enabling them to travel further. The key here is swappable batteries, which take less time to change than to refill a petrol vehicle. This reduces range anxiety substantially.
These developments have made electric vehicles more attractive to environmentally conscious consumers, thus expanding the overall EV market.
E-mopeds enable us to do the following.
• Reduce carbon emissions: Electric-twowheelers produce zero carbon emissions,
unlike conventional petrol-powered vehicles. They are also less polluting than conventional mopeds, which pollute much more than buses on a perpassenger basis. As the world seeks to transition to a low-carbon economy, e-mopeds can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
• Encourage active transportation: E-mopeds offer a convenient and affordable way to get around cities, making it easier for people to choose active transportation options over private cars. This helps to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and promote healthy lifestyles. E-mopeds are an excellent option for first and lastmile mobility.
• Promote innovation: The development of e-mopeds and related technology has led to increased innovation and investment in the clean energy sector, spurring further advancements in sustainable transportation.
As the CEO of a global smart electric moped company, if I could make one change in the world, it would be to accelerate the transition to clean, renewable energy sources and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. The world is facing a climate crisis, and we must act now to reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate the effects of global warming.
The transport sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and electric vehicles offer a promising solution to this problem. By promoting the adoption of electric vehicles, including smart electric mopeds, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and move towards a more sustainable future.
But, the transition to clean energy requires more than just individual actions. It requires a global effort and government policies that support renewable energy development and the phasing out of fossil fuels. As a CEO, I would advocate for policies and incentives that encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar and wind power.
By working together to reduce our carbon footprint and transition to clean energy, we can help ensure a healthier and more sustainable planet for future generations.
As a leader in sustainable transport, my legacy would be to leave a positive
impact on the environment, society, and the economy. I would want my company to be recognized as a leader in sustainable transport, contributing to a cleaner and greener world.
I would also want to be known for creating an innovative and high-quality product that is both functional and fun, enhancing the lives of our customers. Additionally, I would strive to create a company culture that promotes diversity, inclusion, and equality, providing equal opportunities for all employees.
Finally, I would like to be remembered as a CEO who placed a strong emphasis on ethical business practices, maintaining transparency and accountability throughout the company's operations. I believe that a company's success should not come at the expense of its employees, customers, or the planet, and I would ensure that this principle is upheld throughout the company's existence.
"AS A LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT, MY LEGACY WOULD BE TO LEAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT"
NASA IS HEAVILY INVESTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW EV BATTERY FORMULATIONS. THE ORGANISATION HAS ALREADY BEEN WORKING TO BRING SOLID-STATE BATTERIES TO THE COMMERCIAL MARKET AND HAS EVEN DEVISED A SUPER BATTERY, ALSO REFERRED TO AS SOLIDSTATE ARCHITECTURE BATTERIES FOR ENHANCED RECHARGEABILITY AND SAFETY (SABERS).
“WE BUILT THE C-7 BACK IN 2019 AND MADE 23 OF THE BOATS, WHICH WERE FLOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD—FROM NEW ZEALAND TO THE US”
MIKAEL MAHLBERG HEAD OF PR & COMMUNICATIONS CANDELA
Not only do electric two-wheelers leverage immense torque figures and instant acceleration, but they are also more sustainable in many ways. As they become more popular among bikers and commuters in towns and cities, the electric two-wheeled market exceeds 10 million sales, representing a
“IN WAVE THREE OF ELECTRIFICATION, IT’S ALL ABOUT EFFICIENCY”
STEPHEN LAMBERT HEAD OF ELECTRIFICATION, MCLAREN APPLIED
A very subjective topic, but nevertheless, one that is important to discuss as the automotive industry doubles down on sustainable vehicles alternatives. EVs are substantially more expensive than ICEs to buy, particularly in the secondhand market where much of the population will look.
We’re excited to see the ID.2all concept by Volkswagen, which shows the organisation has affordability on its radar. However, the main factor in the cost of EVs is the tech. We need more batteries at a lower cost.
“FLEET-AS-A-SERVICE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE DECARBONISING EFFORTS OF MANY COMPANIES, ESPECIALLY AS SOME TURN TOWARDS ELECTRIC AND ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCES”
NEIL JORDAN VICE PRESIDENT LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN, PROXIMA
The technology behind electrification is continually improving, but it’s important not to forget the emissions inherited as a result of certain developments. This includes battery production, motor energy efficiency, and the capabilities that aircraft have when it comes to transporting individuals and cargo.
Despite organisations working to electrify aviation, the consumption of energy in the process is something to be measured and ultimately gauges the overall impact of the aviation supply chain.
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) breaks this down in a report dating back to mid-2022 whereby it explains the relative emissions in relation to fossil-fuel-powered aircraft. The ICCT states that electrified aircraft are capable of reducing CO2 equivalent (CO2e) by a range of 49%–88%, simply by shifting the propulsion system—and the affiliated supply chain processes.
While aviation isn’t the highest polluting industry, it accounted for around 720 megatonnes of CO2e in 2021. Due to the complexities surrounding safety and fueling, the aviation industry expects to reach net-zero by 2050 and although electric alternatives are increasingly available in this sector, long-haul international flight emissions are currently reduced by means of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is capable of reducing CO2e by up to 80%.
BY TOM SWALLOW
Picture a world tarnished by the effects of its own population. The natural environment is disrupted by ill-use and an increasing atmospheric temperature that slowly eliminates all the components of our surroundings that we love to admire. Suddenly, an ocean voyage on a private yacht or a boat trip along the Fjords of Scandinavia sounds imminent, but it need not be this way.
While road transport holds the lion’s share of emissions globally, the marine sector is hot on the tail of cars when it comes to electrification. Much-like their four-wheeled counterparts, boats have undergone the same journey through hybrid-electric propulsion to fully electric, thanks to some of the great minds; innovators behind marine EV technologies.
While the likes of Tesla and traditional OEMs are taking over the road transport sector, aside from Polestar’s batteries there is very little influence from them on the marine sector. Not only does this mean that legacy yacht builders have free reign to inject electrified solutions into the market, but electric boat makers have the space to innovative and creative new products that cater for more than coastal and near-shore activities.
Enter Candela, the organisation designing boats for a variety of applications in the European waters and beyond—and one of the men tasked with piloting new water craft in the development phase, Mikael Mahlberg, Head of PR & Communications at Candela.
The leisure craft industry is following the trends and electrifying. This will influence marine climate impact and an air of tranquillity at sea
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Sharing insight into the EV landscape in Norway, Mahlberg says: “Electric cars are sort of taking over on the roads, but for boats, the sales are super low—maybe less than 0.1% are all-electric boats.”
“Up until now, there hasn’t really been a viable option because conventional boat hulls use so much energy, so just dropping conventional lithium ion batteries into those boats results in disappointing ranges at high speeds.”
But, there are two angles to look at electric boats. The first being the untapped capacity for transport between islands and along coastlines, the other being the sustainable benefits of leveraging waterborne capabilities. Effectively, larger bodies of water form a testing ground for widespread use of hydrofoil technologies.
Branching out early from its automotive roots, Polestar’s technology developments made their way into marine life thanks to its strategic partnership with Candela.
While localising innovation and driving sustainable transport via the sea and other large water bodies, Polestar is a key partner for ensuring that Candela boats are able to meet the range requirements of conventional diesel-powered watercraft. The C-8 model is powered by the same battery pack and charging technology as the Polestar 2, making it the brand’s seaborne cousin.
Such a conversation about hydrofoil technologies and the use of electric propulsion by Candela would not have started if it wasn’t for the company’s founder and his summer trips to the Stockholm archipelago. Gustav Hasselskog believed that, in an era of sustainable transport transformation, he would not have to give up trips with his children to visit neighbouring islands and therefore birthed the idea of allelectric boats that champion longer range capabilities.
“A fairly short trip on his powerboat, around 15 to 20 minutes, would cost him 50 euros worth of gasoline—the ice cream was like five euros. So he then thought about how to build an electric boat that would have long range at high speeds.
“THE FIRST CUSTOMERS WERE TESLA OWNERS AND NOW THE POLESTAR OWNERS ARE STARTING TO TRICKLE IN AS WELL”
MIKAEL MAHLBERG, HEAD OF PR & COMMU NICATIONS, CANDELA
Of course, electric being a much cheaper form of transport at the time, the issue with boats is the high levels of resistance from the water beneath them. “He realised that, in order to do that, he needed to drastically reduce the energy usage of boats. The only way to do that is to avoid the friction of water by lifting the hull above the water,” Mahlberg explains.
The use of hydrofoil works wonders for leisure boating with the added benefit to the environment with minimal disturbance of water and life under the surface. That said, hydrofoiling has also made an appearance elsewhere in the marine industry, in particular the E1 Series boat racing championship, which is set to launch in 2023 and provide the same non-disruptive capabilities to powerboats.
400 tons
10/12 passengers and 7/8 crew
Beam: 8.6m
Length: 36.92m
E.mode hybrid
Range at 10 knots = 5,000 NM
As can be expected, super yachts pose different challenges when it comes to electrification. As the industry’s most lucrative businesses often build bespoke to client specifications there is no one-size-fits-all super yacht, but electrified solutions are being drip-fed into the industry.
Take Benetti Yachts as an example of hybrid propulsion as it leverages the E-Mode Hybrid power solution developed by Siemens. This solution allows the company to provide the same luxury design and build with 24% less carbon dioxide emissions per year, and up to 85% nitrogen oxide.
The E-Mode Hybrid solution enables four different cruise modes, including enhanced comfort mode, extended range, eco transfer mode, and eco cruise. Such solutions leverage digital capabilities to reduce the running costs and fuel consumption depending on different ocean environments.
The key for organisations like the FIM and Candela is raising awareness of these capabilities as, explained by Mahlberg, those early adopters of electric boats are the same customers sharing open-minded behaviour towards electric cars.
“The first customers were Tesla owners and now the Polestar owners are starting to trickle in as well. Usually these are entrepreneurs and high-wealth individuals that can afford boats, but also early adopters of other technologies,” says Mahlberg.
Talking of sustainability-conscious consumers Candela customers seem to be more inclined to use their boats for leisure purposes, but are often driven by past experiences with day-boating and are looking to minimise their impact while enjoying excursions on the water. As more consumers come around to the idea of
“UP UNTIL NOW, THERE HASN’T REALLY BEEN A VIABLE OPTION BECAUSE CONVENTIONAL BOAT HULLS USE SO MUCH ENERGY”
MIKAEL MAHLBERG, HEAD OF PR & COMMU NICATIONS, CANDELA
electric boating, the industry is starting to see a lot of younger people using them, and Candela alone sees a wider expansion of buyers in other parts of the world.
“We built the C-7 back in 2019 and made 23 of the boats, which were flown all over the world—from New Zealand to the US. You can run them for 92 kilometres per charge when travelling at 22 knots, which is plenty of range for a day boat,” Mahlberg says.
What we can learn from Candela’s work so far is that day-boating is not dead, but it also doesn’t have to impact the environment. Harmoniously integrating leisure boating in various different climates and habitats across the globe proves beneficial from an emissions perspective, but will also have future implications for countries by encouraging sustainable tourism.
Built on the C-8 platform, the P-8 Voyager is built as a passenger boat and is powered by Polestar technologies to enable people to travel to and from high-end resorts and areas like the Northern archipelagos in a decarbonised way.
“Fast charging will be important in order to run a whole day. We’re currently building a ferry called the P-12 shuttle and that boat will leverage fast DC charging up to 180 kW and cover similar distances to conventional diesel ferries.
WRITTEN BY: HELEN ADAMS
PRODUCED BY: GLEN WHITE
Healthy plants, pottery, and sustainable growth are some of Courtney Holm’s core interests. As the Vice President for Sustainable Futures at Capgemini Invent, her role can sometimes touch on all three.
Capgemini Invent is an arm of the Capgemini Group that focuses on digital innovation, consulting, and transformation. Holm’s role is to align sustainable development to client strategy and to help them embed cross-sector collaboration as a core competence.
Holm has lived in England for 13 years and is currently based in West Sussex, where she works from home a few days a week with quite a view. “We wanted to be closer to the forest and the coast. It’s the right place for us at this point in our lives,” she shares.
Holm has always been interested in sustainability and started her career back in the 1990s studying environmental science. “I then moved on to literature, pottery, and sociology, because I wanted to understand and write about how human disconnection and distraction away from nature was the root cause of all of our environmental degradation and social issues.”
During her literature degree, Holm focused on Shakespeare, believing no one else understood the human condition like him. Sociology to study society and human interactions, and finally pottery as one of the first human expressions from Earth’s bounty.
Capgemini Invent supports other companies to become more sustainable; Courtney Holm, Vice President for Sustainable Futures, tells us more
“Lo and behold, I couldn't get a job,” Holm admits. “So, I started working in horticulture, studied it formally, earned a certificate and then continued working in nursery and greenhouse production.”
This was in 2000 and was Holm’s first commercial encounter with technology and software for production management. “Technology was just starting to evolve, especially in the agriculture and horticultural space. By the end of it, I was managing quite a lot of the greenhouses and the fields from a rudimentary smartphone.”
After taking a year long break to travel, Holm moved to the UK to complete an MBA as she wanted to gain a broader understanding of corporate thinking around sustainable development. As such, she joined 2degrees – at the time, the world’s largest online community of sustainability practitioners – where under the direction
“As a society, we've been too focused on resiliency; we need to pivot towards adaptation”
COURTNEY HOLM
VICE PRESIDENT FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES, CAPGEMINI INVENT
of Martin Chilcott, she learned the importance of cross-sector collaboration and implemented it as the client director for the Tesco business at the company.
“I helped Tesco transform its fresh-food supply chain through the Tesco Producer Network and helped them launch their agricultural policy, through onboarding their global producers onto an online community to facilitate cross category collaboration. We also created the Tesco Knowledge Hub, with the remit to reduce the carbon footprint within its tier-one supply chain and support resource efficiency through cross-sector collaboration.”
After 2degrees, Holm moved onto a global role with Unilever where she focused on raw
TITLE: VICE PRESIDENT FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES
COMPANY: CAPGEMINI INVENT
INDUSTRY: BUSINESS CONSULTING
LOCATION: LONDON, UK
Courtney Holm is Vice President of Sustainable Futures at Capgemini Invent. Her role is to shape the way Capgemini creates long term, sustainable value for clients, enabling them with fresh perspectives and digital solutions so that they can play a transformative role in addressing planetary, people and systems challenges. Courtney has a proven track record of implementing innovative technology solutions across sectors; helping clients with a broad range of strategic and operational sustainability challenges. She is an expert in facilitating multilateral collaboration around complex sustainable development challenges. As part of her role, she works across Northern Europe acting as the country lead for the UK and as Executive Sponsor for Invent for Society in the UK.
Anna Mazzone is the EMEA Vice President for ServiceNow’s risk and ESG business unit, which provides a full suite of applications for clients to ensure they comply with ESG regulations and their governance, risk management, and compliance policies for running their organisations.
“ServiceNow delivers a company’s digital enterprise backbone that enables employees to take action in business today,” explains Mazzone.
“We make it easier for employees to make decisions. We aggregate data across similar assets so that they can understand how those assets are performing in real-time across the organisation.”
As a company, ServiceNow is on a journey to do its part in improving the environment.
“We believe that ESG, like risk mitigation and DEI, is everyone’s job across the organisation,” says Mazzone. “We’ve made very ambitious commitments; we have science-based targets that are helping to support our journey towards realising netzero, in terms of carbon emissions by 2030.”
With our dedicated team, we have reduced carbon intensity by over 50%, and now using 100% renewable electricity in facilities.
The partnership between ServiceNow and Capgemini is one of deep trust and respect. “They’re one of our global partners,” says Mazzone. “One of our most highly-regarded partners, as well. We’re both very much aligned to deliver solutions that are really focused on enabling our mutual clients to deliver a sustainable work environment.”
Our partnership with Capgemini works to deliver in three ways:
• Working together to ensure clients can deliver more secure technology environments by, for example, mitigating cyber attacks
• Improving employee work-life balance with truly outstanding digital experiences
• Focusing on faster resolution of client problems and queries by designing highly -efficient processes for mutual customers
material traceability and was later promoted to Global Head of Sustainable Technology, where she helped colleagues leverage technology to deliver and scale the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.
During her time in the UK, she learned that no one organisation could solve a systemic issue, and that multi-lateral collaboration was the only path towards a more sustainable future. In order to scale her impact, Holm understood that she needed to work with clients across different sectors, capabilities, and regions – which is why she decided to go to a consulting business. She joined Capgemini Invent in the UK, as Capgemini was expanding its client-facing sustainability offerings, which appealed to Holm.
“I wanted to influence and shape a capability – I'm entrepreneurial – and I have been afforded that luxury,” she explains.
“Even if we were to reach net zero tomorrow, alreadyexisting climate issues and their effects wouldn’t change. We don't know for sure what temperature we'll land on yet”
COURTNEY HOLM VICE PRESIDENT FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES, CAPGEMINI INVENT
“I've been here for nearly two years, and, in that time, I've established a practitioner-led capability and worked on embedding what I like to call ‘sustainable by default’ ways of working into the business and our services.
“To differentiate Capgemini Invent from other consulting firms, I've grown a team of experts and specialists – we've created a network of 550 consulting colleagues. In 2021, we collaborated with the University of Exeter and its internationally renowned climate scientists and sustainability experts to create a bespoke training programme for our consulting organisation, called the ‘Capgemini Invent Sustainability Solutions Leadership Development Programme’. The programme reinforces our wider team’s knowledge on global sustainability issues, ensuring they can bring value to our clients.
“Capgemini Invent is getting recognised in the market for having a different approach to other consulting firms”
Capgemini Invent helps companies hit their sustainable goals
COURTNEY HOLM
VICE PRESIDENT FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES, CAPGEMINI INVENT
“Those who have completed this programme utilise their education while working side by side with our sustainability experts, enabling them to become practitioners in their own right over time.”
Capgemini Invent helps companies become more sustainable. “Capgemini Invent sits inside a wider organisation that’s a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology.
“From a sector perspective, Capgemini Invent assists both the private and public sector – including financial services, manufacturing, automotive, and life sciences, in addition to energy and utilities,
consumer products, telecommunications, and technology services.”
The brand also offers other capability units, including ‘Customer First’ which helps clients to deliver exceptional personalised experiences and continuously reinvent their businesses and offerings. “We have an ‘Intelligent Industry’ division, where we harness the potential of technology and data to transform and digitise products, industrial operations, and connected services across industries. And there’s ‘Enterprise Management’, where we help deliver, transform, and manage operations for digital core, business processes, and enterprise applications for greater agility and operational efficiency.”
Capgemini Invent has a further focus on business technology, including architecture
and IT as a service, factories, and acceleration. There's also a focus on analytics and artificial intelligence. Holm is a big fan of technology as an enabler for sustainable growth and, at Capgemini Invent, the team work to find digital solutions to help tackle environmental and social challenges.
Capgemini is committed to helping clients with their climate and social transitions and has built a sustainability framework that focuses on three guiding principles for change:
• Commit
• Act
• Monitor and Report
“This is how we help our clients commit to sustainability for their core business, so that could be around their net-zero strategy, for example. Then we have a layer around taking action, so how do we help them to navigate the appropriate course of action to uphold commitments and drive change. For example, this could be by bringing sustainable products and services to the market or by optimising operations or IT to be more sustainable.”
The Monitor and Report pillar is concerned with data, and how the company helps its customers ensure that governance is structured to drive business change and facilitate reporting that’s consistent and coherent. For Holm, capturing and using the right data is fundamental to delivering change programmes: “It ensures that clients are getting the most out of the change, monetising the data that they're capturing in the best way possible, and that there's excellent datadriven decision-making.”
“We have the ambition to accelerate change and help create a sustainable and inclusive future. We want to be the consulting practice that helps clients be doers and not delayers, to put their assets to work towards the transition of the economy and climate change adaptation. Our guiding principles are critical to help us and our clients to prioritise scalable solutions, and to prepare for and adapt for the future.
“We have a broad range of specialisms across the team and can support clients with decarbonisation and efficiency, sustainable and responsible procurement, biodiversity strategy and implementation, sustainable consumption, product design and life cycle assessments, KPIs and reporting technology decisions, and with their brand purpose.”
The reception to this approach among Capgemini Invent’s clients has been positive with many surprised and delighted by its breadth and depth. “We're getting recognised in the market for being expert led and for having a different approach to other consulting firms,” shares Holm.
Capgemini has partnered with ServiceNow to build its domain and advance its digital excellence journey, ensuring greater flexibility and efficiency across the Capgemini ecosystem, in addition to the accountability of a single-source provider model.
For Capgemini Invent, it's about how to support clients advance their thinking
around sustainability. “We work with some great brands. How do we best support them on their sustainability journeys? A big key to my strategy – as I mentioned earlier – is cross-sector collaboration.”
“Capgemini is not a software firm, so technology partners are important so that we can provide technical solutions to clients. We are also technology agnostic, putting client business requirements ahead of any one solution that one of our partners may have. ServiceNow is a great partner because they also take a platform approach that works across multiple technology solutions, to manage digital work flows and ESG data from across an organisation’s systems,” explains Holm.
This year, Capgemini Invent is hosting a number of intimate events around
“We have the ambition to accelerate change and help create a sustainable and inclusive future. We want to help clients put their assets to work towards the transition of the economy and climate change adaptation”
COURTNEY HOLM
VICE PRESIDENT FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES, CAPGEMINI INVENT
key topics that require cross-sector and multilateral collaboration. These events will dive deep into lesser-discussed issues surrounding specific topics that go beyond net-zero and carbon-mitigation strategies. “Biodiversity and community engagement around water basins is one of those topics. Another topic that we’re exploring more will be decarbonisation of UK homes.”
It is all go at Capgemini Invent, then – but Holm believes that it’s going to take every
business to put sustainable structure in place. “I really do worry that we’re not ready for the changes global warming will bring,” says Holm. “There’s so much that we have to change – not only about how businesses are run, but also how we live personally –and I think we’re currently unprepared for those changes.”
That’s why one of Holm’s key objectives is the focus on adaptation strategies. “We want to help our clients to see sustainability as an opportunity to build long-term value and a source of competitive advantage, not just a compliance requirement. This means shifting the focus from risk-avoidance to promoting justice and regeneration.”
Practically, this means supporting clients with an investment roadmap, with causality linked to their Capex and Opex expenditures, helping them understand the secondary and tertiary impacts of their investments over time, prompting them to take a long view. This will allow for customers to reduce impact, improve social wellbeing, and be more prepared for some of these changes.
“As a society, we've been too focused on resiliency,” says Holm. “Now, we need to start to shift towards adaptation, because even if we were to reach net zero tomorrow, already-existing climate issues and their effects wouldn’t change. We don't know for sure what temperature we'll land on yet.”
In the face of irreversible climate changes Holm believes that the industry needs to prepare for more change, mitigate any further climate impacts, and advise companies on their next steps – the latter of which function as Holm’s next steps for Capgemini Invent.
Safety is paramount across all facets of automotive, but the EV industry hosts new technologies that drive sustainable and compliant electrified transport
On the surface of the automotive industry, it’s somewhat difficult to understand how much things have evolved since the dawn of EVs. Looking from the outside in, we often see them as the electrified counterparts to their ICE predecessors.But, there is so much more to it than that.
A whole new architecture—this is what drives EVs and enables higher speeds, increases in efficiency and improvements in safety. In order to keep drivers and the general public safe, organisations must apply the lessons they’ve learned, to ensure that EVs meet rigorous standards and integrate with other digitally-driven solutions.
The EVs of today are backed by a global testbed of electric propulsion performance, with motorsport—and even aerospace— sharing applications and innovations scaled to meet safety requirements on public highways.
To share a great example of how industry lessons are carried into the commercial market, McLaren Applied’s Head of Electrification, Stephen Lambert, explains how its inverter technologies translate from aerospace and motorsport to the wider manufacturing of all-electric vehicles.
“We’ve developed a lot of our solutions around safety critical systems and products, which then evolved as automotive became more interested in safety engineering,” says Lambert.
Such competencies filtered into one of the key products that McLaren Applied supplies to the industry today— its electrical inverters—which Lambert claims to be the “hidden hero” at the heart of every EV. But, the inverter plays much more of a role than simply converting and carrying current between
the electrical systems of electric cars. It is also incorporated into safety state mechanisms that allow them to protect cars and drivers in the event of malfunction.
“The inverter is kind of the heart, the hidden hero within the EV drivetrain. It takes the DC power from the battery and converts it to AC for the motor, but it's really the core part of the drivetrain,” says Lambert. “It takes all the signals from the driver and turns them into actions for the car, but is also responsible for the safety critical aspects of that vehicle as well.”
Also EVs may seem far from the complexity of aviation electronics, the principles are the same. The ‘safe state’ referred to by Lambert is an innovation that is further enabled by the same equipment that ensures electrified cars are able to move.
The British technology firm that is driving innovation across multiple transport industries, McLaren Applied is the organisation behind pioneering solutions for aerospace, motorsport and, now, the commercial EV sector.
The company has been separated from its previous parent company, McLaren Group, since August 2021. Yet, it maintains its motorsport heritage, which can still be seen in its work today, as the company strives to meet the electrification goals of motorsport, transport, automotive and mining.
In doing so, McLaren Applied developed its latest model 800-volt IPG5 silicon-carbide inverter, which supports the performance requirements of electric transport with nextgeneration safety and efficiency.
With the IPG5, automotive OEMS can mitigate range anxiety and stresses around charging, thanks to increased speeds for ultra-fast EV charging. It also increases vehicle range by upwards of 7%, and is a notably costcompetitive option.
The differing architecture between ICE and EV presents only opportunities for OEMs, as they look to make their cars safer for drivers. The inverter being a key component of this, as explained by Lambert, individual drive for each wheel of the electric car eliminates the need for the ‘safe state’ expected in aerospace.
“If there is a problem, you need the ability to go into a safe state. That’s usually if there’s a problem with a vehicle,” says Lambert.
What this means is, “you turn off the drivetrain and can coast to a safe stop— this is one of the differences we’ve found compared to aerospace safety systems where you don’t create a safe state in the same way.”
Although the safe state idea is something unique to vehicles on public roads, the applications from motorsport come from an opposite application, whereby the teams “learn how to best use the technology, how to push them to their limits before they can fail, where that failure point is, and how we get the most out of that, the asset that is the inverter.”
“ the autonomy world are going to come together at some point”
STEPH EN LAMBERT HEAD OF ELECTR IFICATION, MCLAR EN APPLIED
“The inverter is kind of the heart, the hidden hero within the EV drivetrain”
STEPH EN LAMBERT HEAD OF ELECTR IFICATION, MCLAR EN APPLIED
Understanding how to control the component that manages the energy flow within an EV is what sets them apart from their ICE counterparts. As we see more autonomous driving capabilities appearing industry wide, the combination of automation and advanced inverter technologies will enable OEMs to make cars that are built to react to incidents on the road, but act accordingly, leveraging a more controllable system in the process.
“The EV world and the autonomy world are going to come together at some point,” says Lambert. “This means making sure that EVs have a system for taking over the drivetrain. So, in the case of a failure in the autonomous controller stack, they can take control of the vehicle and automate a safe stop.”
Maximum safety is key for OEMs, but to really understand how they achieve this, they must first understand the regulations at play. Enabling safety in wave two of the overall electrification of vehicles will allow them to progress further, where the third wave is all about increasing efficiency and reducing the cost and energy consumption.
“In wave three of electrification, it’s all about efficiency. We believe that, when you start looking at efficiency, you enter a virtuous cycle. As you make your drivetrain more efficient, you can reduce your battery size while achieving the same range, as well as the weight of the vehicle.”
Barely a decade into the popularisation of electric vehicles, Faraday Future is launching the first ultra-tech luxury electric vehicle: meet the FF 91
Prashant Gulati is the esteemed Vice President of Strategy at Faraday Future. Now in his seventh year with the company, he handles the entirety of its strategic roadmap, which includes overseeing the business plan, mobility initiatives, manufacturing strategy, and directing fundraising efforts.
Fundraising is a key part of Gulati’s role: “My proudest professional achievement has been co-leading the public offering, which helped the company raise more than $1bn through a listing on NASDAQ,” he says.
With over 20 years of success in the technology and automotive industries, Gulati is an accomplished executive with a track record of scaling businesses. He has successfully led a public offering and held leadership roles to drive growth and expansion at several companies globally. In recognition of his industry contributions, Gulati was selected for the coveted Business Insider list of EV Industry Power Players.
Gulati holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and an MBA from the Indian School of Business.
Having grown up in India, Gulati has always had a deep affinity for the environment. This draw of environmental stewardship was heightened when Gulati and his wife were expecting their first child. “I had a sense of urgency to contribute to technology that could help slow climate change and create a better world for our children to grow up in,” he explained.
“I explored numerous fields, including renewable energy, smart grids and energy storage, before focusing on EVs and finding
Faraday Future. I immediately clicked with the company as it had such a bold vision and fit the environmentally-focused technological approach I was seeking. My journey into the auto industry has been quite unusual – almost accidental.”
FARADAY FUTURE: DRIVING THE EV INDUSTRY
“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time, and transportation is one of the largest contributors to it,” says Gulati. “At the same time, the world cannot slow down. We need more growth, more productivity, more time to commit to our passions. So, at Faraday Future, we've been working on the intersection of these problems - of clean mobility and climate change on one hand, and
“We were founded with the mission to help people live, move, and breathe more freely – and that's one of the things that drives a lot of us”
PRASHANT GULATI
VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY, FARADAY FUTURE
helping people lead productive, connected lives on the other.”
Faraday Future has taken the first step towards achieving that mission by building the FF 91, which Gulati believes is the most connected, comfortable, and technologically advanced electric car in the world. The company achieved start of production of the FF 91 in California and plans to sell it through a direct sales model in its dual home bases of the US and China.
“The vision of the company is much more than building and selling electric cars, though,” Gulati tells us. “We want to engage our users, build a community, and offer internet and AI services throughout the vehicle lifecycle.”
TITLE: VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY
INDUSTRY: MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURING
LOCATION: UNITED STATES
Prashant Gulati is the esteemed Vice President of Strategy at Faraday Future. Now in his seventh year with the company, he handles the entirety of its strategic roadmap, which includes overseeing the business plan, mobility initiatives, manufacturing strategy, and directing fundraising efforts.
With over 20 years of success in the technology and automotive industries, Gulati is an accomplished executive with a track record of scaling businesses. He has successfully led a public offering and held leadership roles to drive growth and expansion at several companies globally. In recognition of his industry contributions, Gulati was selected for the coveted Business Insider list of EV Industry Power Players.
Gulati holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and an MBA from the Indian School of Business.
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In an exclusive interview, Jason Murar, President and CEO of JVIS USA, discusses how JVIS is pioneering the EV industry while supporting Faraday Future
JVIS USA is a world-renowned manufacturing leader boasting unrivalled proficiency across both design and engineering. Blending state-of-the-art technologies with vertically-integrated processes, the company guides a concept from the initial sketch to the final product launch, and everything in between.
By prioritising innovation, JVIS has established itself as a leader in the continuous shift towards electric vehicles (EVs). It specialises in delivering technology and components uniquely optimised for EVs, continuously seeking out novel concepts, technologies, and procedures.
JVIS has also played a vital role in supporting Faraday Future (FF) to unveil their vehicles to the market. Jason Murar, President and CEO of JVIS USA, explains:
“We’ve assisted FF in almost every facet, from the initial product development – where we identified key product innovations for their consumers – all the way through to the actual testing and validation, in compliance with automotive standards for those components and the continuous supply of critical components used in their vehicles.
Armed with impressive electrical solutions, JVIS employs the latest technology, such as capacitive touch surfaces and smart panels.
Murar says: “In the EV market, you see a lot of change with smart panels, which are now highly integrated into both the exterior and interior of vehicles.”
JVIS is committed to leading the development of the EV industry, particularly as it plays a large part in the company’s growth. “Our customers see how we’re taking static panels and turning them into functional panels, giving expanded use of the vehicle,” Murar explains. “These components include sensors and software to increase the user’s experience, such as soft-close doors and ambient lighting.
“JVIS’s continued investment in innovation and growth will enable us to make significant contributions to this dynamic field. If you are looking to turn your product ideas into reality, contact us today to learn more about how JVIS technology can help.”
Faraday Future started from scratch, taking a “clean sheet approach” to building electric cars. Faraday Future’s technology innovations include its proprietary Variable Platform Architecture (VPA), propulsion system, and Internet, Autonomous Driving, and Intelligence (I.A.I.) systems. The company has approximately 660 patents across these areas.
“So far, the company has invested billions of dollars in creating industry-leading product and technology,” recounts Gulati. “Building cars is a capital-intensive business, and we've had our ups and downs.
“The way I would describe the ethos of the company is one of perseverance and tenacity; one of never, ever giving up in the service of our mission.”
The FF 91 has been designed as an all-ability car, possessing the handling of a sedan, the space, reliability, and comfort of an SUV, and the top-level performance and driving dynamics of a sports car.
“A lot of people liken it to a Rolls-Royce, with increased comfort, connectivity, and performance ” Gulati tells us – and the statistics certainly speak for themselves.
video conferencing, and watch movies or live sports without driver distraction”
“There's a lot that has gone into developing and thinking about the design, driving experience, and the overall user experience” says Gulati who is incredibly passionate about the vehicle.
“There is no electric car in our segment right now – competing with Rolls-Royce,
Bentley, Maybach – so we're quite excited about being the first EV of our kind, and we think it's going to redefine industry standards. The first ultra-tech luxury electric vehicle.”
“We are building what we believe is the most connected, most comfortable, most technologicallyadvanced electric car in the world: we call it the FF 91”
PRASHANT GULATI VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY, FARADAY FUTURE
THE TECHNOLOGY UNDER THE BONNET
Faraday Future describes the technology behind the FF 91 within three pillars:
1. Variable Platform Architecture
“Think of it like a Lego,” Gulati explains: “You can change the size of the platform and build different vehicles of different sizes for different purposes. You can put different motor and powertrain configurations. This skateboard-like platform approach enables us to build multiple vehicles on the same platform, reduce time to cost, time to market, and more.”
2. In-house Propulsion Technology
Faraday Future has developed a proprietary inverter design and propulsion system. The drive units are fully integrated with the inverter, and transmission and control unit to enable leading horsepower, efficiency, and acceleration.
3. Internet, Autonomous Driving, and Intelligence (I.A.I.)
“Our software, internet, and AI development is the most important of these pillars,” says Gulati. “That's where the company shines compared to all of our competition.” Faraday Future’s commitment to these technologies supports the user experience in the car, both practically and luxuriously, ensuring seamless user experience through different elements, one of which is advanced voice control to manage complex queries without driver or passenger distraction.
• 3 motors
• 1,050 horsepower
• 0 to 60 in 2.27 seconds
• Class leading EPA and CARB certified range of 381 miles
• Charge Time (20-80%): 25 min @ 200kW DC Fast Charge
• Overall length: 5,250mm/ 206.7in
• Up to three 5G modems and a newly developed operating system, allowing customers to use apps and stay fully connected
• Industry-leading 49 inches of rear seat legroom
• 60-degrees rear seat recline in NASA-inspired, zero-gravity seats
Faraday Future invested a lot in creating its own technology. “Some companies basically source parts and build a car, essentially becoming assemblers,” explains Gulati. “At Faraday Future, we've invested a lot of time and capital on creating our own technology.”
Faraday Future has strong partnerships with, and relies on, key suppliers to ensure the FF 91 is completed in a timely manner and with the high quality its users will demand. The company was affected to a lesser degree by supply chain issues during the pandemic because of planned low volumes at launch, and because many of the parts are created by suppliers uniquely
for the FF 91, and so we don't compete with others for those. Notwithstanding, the company has taken lessons from that period and gotten even more diligent about planning and ordering across the supply chain.
In terms of scale, Faraday Future employs 590 people across the US and China, and with its production plant in California the company will ultimately be capable of producing approximately 10,000 vehicles per year. The current manufacturing setup is asset light, and the supply chain is built with expansion in mind: if needed, the company has a contract manufacturing partner for this anticipated expansion, allowing early-stage flexibility.
“The company's DNA is completely global,” Gulati says: “We've designed and defined the product with an abundance of cutting-edge technology to cater to a global audience.”
The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, where much of the engineering and manufacturing takes place, but it also has roots in China – home to a Faraday Future engineering centre. The FF 91 will be initially launched in the US, followed by China, before being launched globally.
“Looking to the next 18 months, we are very focused on the FF 91 production, sales, and
“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time, and transportation is one of the largest contributors to it”
PRASHANT GULATI VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY, FARADAY FUTURE
deliveries,” Gulati explains. “We're going to be scaling our operation, ramping up supply chain – that's the key focus area making the FF 91 successful.
Gulati believes that the value chain disruption we’re seeing now is going to continue, not only accelerating on the product and technology front, but on the sales side, too, as industry sales volumes increase.
“In the distribution model, quite a few OEMs have expressed a desire to sell directly to customers” Gulati explains.
“For the industry, this transition away from ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles is going to impact sales economics. Today, auto dealers mostly earn margins from selling auto parts and services, and financial services, and that's going to change. Maintenance and parts and services replacement in EVs is far less than ICE vehicles. So, we expect to see changes on the business side as well as on the product and technology side.”
Despite this value chain disruption and anticipated global economic slowdown, Gulati himself doesn’t forecast a slowdown for Faraday Future, citing research from McKinsey that shows the luxury vehicle market (vehicles $150,000 and above) is projected to grow significantly over the next 10 years.
“We have plans for our next model –we call it the FF 81 – which will share 60% commonality of parts with the FF 91,” Gulati says. “Although, of course, such future developments are dependent on a number of things, including fundraising.”
To promote long-term growth and success within the electric vehicle industry, Gulati says the focus is – and should remain –on batteries, reducing cost of materials, recycling, and developing new chemistries.
“Since 2010, the price of batteries has dropped significantly – until about 2019,” Gulati recounts. “In the last few years, battery and raw material prices have risen again because of supply chain disruptions, due to the pandemic.”
The second focus that Gulati expects of the industry is in EV infrastructure.
“We are seeing significant regulatory support to promote the transition to electric vehicles,” he says. “Governments are allocating a lot of capital and policy support towards education, charging infrastructure, and local sourcing of electric cars, so we anticipate that will continue.”
The future is on its way – and it looks electric.
“We need more growth, more productivity, and more time to commit to our passions”
PRASHANT GULATI
VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGY, FARADAY FUTURE
V2X connects all infrastructure and vehicles, bringing them into the digital ecosystem, but what are the standards to be met by industry collaborators?
The transition to EVs is shaping the global sustainability approach, but digitalisation is at the heart of this. The majority of the systems in place today leverage connected capabilities and are adherent to multiple standardsof operating, based on the requirements of brands and authorities hat support their projects.
As a critical component of this, partnerships provide EV industry businesses with the knowledge and expertise to enable greater connectivity between vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure, including buildings, other forms of transport, and the digital service at work, home, or in public.
Connectivity among vehicles has been developing for quite some time, but it’s only now that industries are starting to see the benefits as many of them will make them more eco-friendly and cost-effective.
As explained by Matthias von Alten, Vice President, Transportation & Mobility at digital business transformation consultancy Publicis Sapient: “V2X technology is critical to the successful rollout of electric vehicles,
as it can help improve charging efficiency, extend range, stabilise the grid, and enable smart grid integration.
“But V2X technology isn’t only relevant to EVs, but it can also benefit all types of vehicles, enhancing safety, mobility, and efficiency on the roads.”
One of the primary links to the outside world that can be seen leveraged most by EV drivers is connectivity between vehicles and their chargers. This allows for cost and energy consumption optimisation on both sides. Firstly, smart charging solutions enable
The idea of all connected things has revolutionised technology, starting with data sharing in a digital ecosystem all the way through to the idea of V2X, which describes the communication abilities between cars and infrastructure, enabling EVs to connect with their surrounding environments.
The dawn of EV smart charging was a milestone component of wider V2X operations as it allows cars to automatically link their digital systems with that of charging infrastructure to optimise the charging process in terms of speed, cost, and energy consumption.
grid operators to better use their available energy sources—reducing the load on the grid and making way for renewable energy adoption through strategic energy usage. From a consumer perspective, smart-charging functions allow them to limit the impacts of energy price rises on their travel costs.
“By enabling communication between electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure, V2X technology can help optimise the charging process, reduce energy waste, and enhance the overall user experience,” says von Alten.
“There are some ways in which V2X technology can incorporate charging into the digital ecosystem: real-time communication, load balancing, bi-directional charging, payment and billing.”
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Historically, digital literacy enabled certain consumers to achieve a cost advantage, but with technology integrated into daily tasks and devices mimicking that of automobile infotainment systems, connectivity becomes much more accessible to the masses— especially those driving EVs. Having said that, the EV platform has proven a catalyst for more connected solutions, which is due to easier operability within an electrified system, but is also better leveraged as a solution for a battery-powered system.
“To have a high acceptance of the user, there’s a high degree of implementation needed. You need the vehicles and infrastructure in urban and rural areas,” says von Alten.
Though there is one major factor in whether consumers are able to benefit from V2X, which is the initial purchasing cost. While solutions must advance, the cost of buying an electric currently outweighs the option of maintaining and using a traditional car, especially when you weigh up the initial output for the consumer and what they potentially gain in energy discount.
One major factor to be considered is that the majority of EV drivers charging at home will be able to utilise the best possible energy prices for their entire households through smart bi-directional charging.
“If we get to the point of safety benefits, efficiency gains, regulatory support, cost reduction, and real multimodal, convenient
“TO BE SUCCESSFUL, STANDARDS ARE ESSENTIAL”
MATTHIAS VON ALTEN VICE PRESIDENT, TRAN SPORTATION & MOBILITY, PUBLIC IS SAPIENT
solutions. Then we will come to the point that V2X is accepted by all. It must also remain affordable.”
Businesses can also reap similar benefits to consumers, in that V2X allows for better energy consumption regulation, but they’re aspects that can only be seen in the commercial environment.
Safety is a major benefit experienced by EV users, while also presenting positive results for companies as they look to provide the most suitable automobiles and allow their customers to travel further, safely.
The increased efficiency as a result of V2X will likely be a catalyst for more strategic road usage—reducing emissions and congestion.
“It is essential to have a broad perspective on this new technology—not only will it have a huge impact on the business, but it will change entire mobility standards.
“TO HAVE A HIGH ACCEPTANCE BY THE USER, THERE‘S A HIGH DEGREE OF IMPLEMENTATION NEEDED”
MATTHIAS VON ALTEN VICE PRESIDENT, TRAN SPORTATION & MOBILITY, PUBLIC IS SAPIENT
“V2X technology can offer businesses benefits such as improved safety (V2V communication); enhanced efficiency (optimised traffic flow, reduced congestion, improved travel time); new revenue streams (charging infrastructure, MaaS, data monetisation); competitive advantage (value-adding services); and regulatory compliance (V2X might become mandatory in some regions),” von Alten explains.
When it comes to implementing new connectivity solutions, regulations remain important aspects of their success, particularly as partner collaboration is key and local authorities still have the final say in whether such technologies are viable in their areas.
Organisations can develop solutions for connecting much faster, but the real governing factor beyond the consumer is the brands that support them as well as how city and town regulators respond— which is ultimately down to persuasion from those applying connected services to the wider infrastructure.
“V2X is more than just digital connectivity between vehicles and infrastructure. It combines collaboration between different systems (incl. vehicle ecosystems and infrastructure systems) and different stakeholders to meet overall benefits.
“The technical solution is about processes, roles and responsibilities, and governance to manage the V2X environment,” says von Alten. “This is driving the complexity to implement V2X, because of the different brand-specific and local-specific requirements. To be successful, standards are essential.”
Accelerated by the EV transition, digital transformation is opening up doors for fleet managers to gain more control over the outcomes of their operations. For many organisations, the ‘fleet’ refers to the company carpool affiliated with the business or logistics assets, which transport goods nationally and internationally, holding inherent risks as a result.
The key here is for fleet operators to become more proactive in their approach to managing their fleet, which means gaining visibility of their supply chains through data and insights to minimise reactive behaviour resulting from easily foreseen disruptions.
This is where digital transformation comes in. It allows businesses to obtain and share data about their fleets, ensuring that trucks remain on the road and the risks are minimised across the entire organisation. On top of this are the sustainability and cost benefits, which can be seen by preemptively planning strategic routes to minimise emissions and fuel consumption.
It is, however, a different story for those organisations that have adopted EVs or are looking to make the shift to more sustainable forms of transport to minimise their Scope emissions. Organisations tout the benefits
of EVs from an emissions standpoint, but in the era of range anxiety, how can companies map out a non-disruptive transition to EVs—a realm of transport that many of them are yet to delve into?
EVs hold the key to unlocking more insights into the supply chain but are somewhat hindered by a few factors, including range, cost, and knowledge, which many businesses are yet to navigate to their fullest potential.
From leading procurement and supply chain consulting firm Proxima, we talk to
“THE SHIFT TOWARDS ELECTRIC FLEETS AND ALTERNATIVELYFUELLED FLEETS IS MOST DEFINITELY CATCHING ON”
N EIL JORDAN VICE PRESIDENT LOGISTICS AND SUP PLY CHAIN, PROXIMA
Neil Jordan (NJ), Vice President Logistics and Supply Chain for Proxima, who explains why fleet-as-a-service (FaaS) is so critical to logistics managers. He also tells us more about what FaaS actually means and how electrification becomes a catalyst for more exploration of these digital solutions.
TS: Why is FaaS so important?
NJ: Fleet-as-a-service plays an important role in the decarbonising efforts of many companies, especially as some turn towards electric and alternative fuel sources. Once finalised, the efforts put towards improving FaaS will improve business performance, agility, and mobility.
However, the benefits of fleet-as-a-service are contingent upon other factors, such as hybrid working models and infrastructure being implemented within the UK. In a postpandemic world, some organisations have transitioned to fully-remote operations, removing the necessity for fleet-asa-service.
On the other hand, fleet-as-a-service gives businesses the luxury of accessing vehicles when required without committing to ownership, changing the nature of commercial vehicle offerings.
TS: Is fleet-as-a-service a new idea brought about by electrification?
NJ: Fleet-as-a-service is not a new idea, by any means—frankly speaking, utilising a hire car service is essentially the same thing. So, although the concept isn’t new, electrification brings new perspectives to the service.
“AS EVs MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THIS SPACE, NEW AVENUES WITHIN FLEET-AS-A-SERVICE MUST BE EXPLORED”
N EIL JORDAN VICE PRESIDENT LOGISTICS AND SUP PLY CHAIN, PROXIMA
In response to these questions about FaaS, Rob Wright, Executive Director at SCALA, comments:
“FaaS is an interesting concept, with the single platform integrated fleet optimisation system using in-vehicle telemetry and tracking systems. Many also include maintenance technologies and tools to find the best vehicle charging points.
“The concept has developed out of a desire to move away from traditional fuels. For car and van fleets, the alternatives of electric or hybrid vehicles are readily available. However, for HGV fleets, there are much fewer options due to electric vehicles having a limited range. Despite this, numerous operators are using alternative fuel options in the interim until a longer term electric or hydrogen solution is developed.
“In the next 10 years, we will see a range of new technology and alternative fuel options develop. As greater investment is given to the supporting infrastructure and technologies, longer term electric and hydrogen vehicle solutions will become available. These technologies can sit alongside FaaS platforms to provide greater efficiencies and reduce carbon emissions.”
As EVs make their way into this space, new avenues within fleet-as-a-service must be explored, like implementing the correct infrastructure needed to successfully run an electric fleet. If a fleet becomes completely electric, issues of charging proximity vs distances travelled become an issue. The theory of an electric fleet is sound, but the infrastructure needed is lacking.
At the end of the day, EVs are expensive and government contributions towards them are beginning to dry up. The added expense of developing the infrastructure makes it more challenging to implement; it’s a larger issue that must be addressed at a governmental and local authority level, as well as a business level.
TS: Are companies already adopting fleet-as-a-service?
NJ: Fleet services can include hiring vehicles from a hire company when demand increases. Alternatively, some companies, if large enough, have their own vehicles to utilise (Pool vehicles), reducing the need to outsource from other organisations.
The shift towards electric fleets and alternatively-fuelled fleets is most definitely catching on, but it all comes back to the issue of country infrastructure to support EVs and making sure that your offerings are adequately supported by the necessary charging points and user-friendly monitoring required, such as keeping an eye on battery levels and ensuring that off-site locations have charging points.
TS: What does the fleet of the future look like?
NJ: Only time will tell what the future of the fleet looks like. The key lies in investing in the infrastructure now. The critical support that this service requires will determine the pace at which it is rolled out and the rate at which companies adopt it.
For the time being, it could be a hybrid model, one that provides the carboncutting benefits of EVs but doesn’t require the immediate investment in infrastructure. In essence, the fleet of the future cannot be fully electric until the time investment and energy is put towards the infrastructure needed to achieve this goal.
Born in war time, the micro car is an underrated future means of electric transport and simplified, flexible mobility across urban environments
The automotive industry breeds new and exciting cars, which are inevitably getting larger. Packing heavy batteries and new electrical architecture into a sleek, aerodynamic, and comfortable vehicle design has never been so crucial—not least because safety is now scaling the average size of EVs, too.
So, what about the micro car? The smallyet-mighty influence on mobility that could potentially evolve our three-wheeled and four-wheeled transport methods. Over the years, many micro cars and other miniature forms of automobiles appeared and disappeared—likely to be stored in automotive and industrial heritage sites. These nevertheless pose new ideas that might influence drivers to think more carefully about how they travel, particularly in urban environments.
Known as either micro cars—or ‘bubble cars’—these small, nippy vehicles were designed and built in the World War II era, when more micromobility options were used, including motorcycles, becoming popularised for a brief time.
Fast-forward to today and now recall the appearance of vehicles like the Renault Twizy and the most recently made Citroen Ami, which are not only electric, but also represent a different type of mobility for those that live in towns and cities.
Defined by a 700cc motor equivalent, the micro car market is expected to grow in popularity in line with the electrical revolution at a CAGR of 2.1% from 2022 to 2030. With cities becoming more compact and the demand on residents to adopt electric means of transport, micro cars seem the optimal solution for tackling the rapid industrialisation of automotive that we’re seeing today.
‘Kei’ or ‘Keijidosha’ is the Japanese term for ‘light automobile’ and is a category of car that’s seen as closest to that of micro cars in the realm of automotive. Whether that is an ICE vehicle or EV, the car type is restricted by the dimensions and power output of the vehicle.
This category of car—devised originally by the Japanese government in 1949—has only slightly changed over the years and, ultimately, drives tax and insurance benefits. Popular among car brands and vehicle owners, kei cars can be found in many of the more urban areas of the country.
While the majority of kei cars were designed and manufactured in Japan, Germany cottoned on to the idea, too, building its Smart car brand based on the same principles. The British-born Caterham 7 160 is also deemed a kei car, based on its overall classification criteria.
The micro car category brackets the original Smart car models, with other brands coming on board with new concepts. This includes Nissan, its ideas born of the Japanese kei car segment—with 1.17mn units sold in 2022— as well as other OEMs like Toyota, Mahindra, and Suzuki.
With such an industry at our fingertips, micro cars are yet to be leveraged to their fullest extent on the global automotive stage.
Even when you consider the benefits of micro cars beyond the inevitable (electrification) they seem to be underused in combatting many issues seen on the roads today. With a growing population of drivers across the globe, cities are becoming more crowded and, despite the best efforts of traffic planners, congestion plagues many commuters.
“THE MICRO CAR CATEGORY BRACKETS THE ORIGINAL SMART CAR MODELS, WITH OTHER BRANDS COMING ON BOARD WITH NEW CONCEPTS”
The Ami offers micro car convenience under a traditional OEM brand name. Citroen’s smallest car is one of the most affordable and shows how innovation can provide city-dwellers with a much more flexible mode of transport than the conventionally-sized car.
For those who never leave the city, the car achieves a speed of 28mph and can be leased with a deposit under £2,750 followed by payments that rival even the most advanced smartphones—contract deals start at £19.99 per month.
Citroen also partners with Ubitricity for charging and energy availability to ensure that the Ami can be charged in the built environment as conveniently as it is driven.
However, this begs the question: “why not choose a motorcycle?”
This conversation takes us back to when the micro car was originally designed as a means of transport that was similar to a motorbike, but the rider was protected from the elements and stabilised by a third wheel and a more robust vehicle architecture.
In today’s automotive landscape, micro cars are naturally bigger than their counterparts from the previous century, but with more complex, intuitive designs that make them flexible to the changing road circumstances.
As consumers wean off the idea that privately owning a vehicle is the only option, mobility services could start to leverage some of these micro car options and other intuitive transport options as the landscape shifts to a more inclusive and minimalist way of life.
While many companies in this stage are still in their infancy, electrification opens the floodgates for innovative mobility products.
“DEFINED BY A 700CC MOTOR EQUIVALENT, THE MICRO CAR MARKET IS EXPECTED TO GROW”
These businesses have seen fantastic growth, resulting from the electrical revolution and adoption of electric vehicles globally
Though the EV industry is growing and charging networks are spreading, there are but a few making the most impact when it comes to public charging availability. To encourage more EV drivers, innovation is accelerating to provide more charging stations as well as those that provide rapid injection of power.
Thanks to these 10 publicly-traded organisations, EV manufacturers are able to sell their latest creations and consumers are more inclined to buy electric.
Like many great automotive manufacturers, the charging provider Compleo Charging Solutions comes from Germany to offer a variety of public, commercial, and residential applications.
The organisation also plays a role in educating EV drivers, and companies looking to install charge points, through its Compleo Academy— teaching everything they need to know about EV charging. Compleo considers itself a ‘onestop-shop’ for a variety of ‘blue-chip’ businesses.
A regular sight on the roadside across the UK and born from a history of petroleum-based business. BP Pulse leverages a long history of energy sector experience to transform into one driven by a more sustainable source— renewable energy.
As a result, the company is about to offer home and public installations across the UK, including 50,000+ home wall chargers and a network of public charge points, including rapid and ultrafast charging options.
Headquartered in Ireland, ADS-TEC Energy is shifting from fossil fuel dependence to electrified solutions, decentralising solutions and creating intelligent, cross-sectoral systems leveraging renewable energy sources.
The company offers smart grid solutions and a storage-based platform, both of which are integral to enabling the wider expansion of sustainable energy and transport.
Based in Miami, Florida, Blink Charging is driven by climate change and the need to reduce emissions produced by transportation. It has become a driving force in EV adoption and is key to allowing drivers to enjoy EVs efficiently.
The company lives and breathes EV charging, and is now a leading operator of charging services in the United States.
The Chinese charging innovator is committed to becoming a leader in this field. Headquartered in Anji, Zhejiang Province, the company echoes its motto: “Green waters and green mountains are worth the same as Gold mountains and Silver mountains.”
NaaS is one of the fastest growing EV charging service providers in China, with options available both online and offline.
It’s all about making sure chargers are available to everyone. Allego is the dutch business that is accelerating the availability of public charging solutions. It currently operates systems in 16 countries and covers 1.5 billion kilometres of roads with a network of +40,000 sockets for EV drivers to access charging in more places.
The Wallbox not only has a minimalist and sophisticated design, but it allows EV drivers to charge using advanced solutions that also manage their energy— building a better relationship between the homeowner and the energy grid.
The company is thinking laterally about how customers want to interact with EV chargers, resulting in its unique style and performance.
EVgo offers a range of EV charging solutions to businesses and other commercial users. Covering all the costs for its host partners, EVgo is charging consumers’ cars while not charging the companies it works with, which allows all stakeholders to leverage state-ofthe-art, fast-charging solutions. EVgo is also a leading provider of solutions to meet the needs of fleet operators, allowing them to seamlessly make the switch.
Over more than a decade of charge point installation and innovation, ChargePoint is one of the leading US installers, providing access to hundreds of charging solutions with one account. The company has already delivered more than 158 million chargers and the majority of its customers can be seen in the Fortune 50 list.
The company prides itself on a singular solution type—charging—that has gained popularity among customers, serving more than 5,000 of them. ChargePoint is led and operated by EV drivers who understand the pain points experienced by the public when making the shift from ICEs—more than 70 of its employees have more than five years of experience in the space.
The leading EV maker and a provider of fast charging solutions, Tesla dominated the market before it opened up its Supercharger network to other EV brands. Now the company has become an all-round provider of public charging for the industry and continues to expand its charging network.
Aside from its charging network, Tesla’s car remains the top EV choice for many categories and it is also looking to revolutionise the logistics sector with the introduction of its Semi truck. Making Tesla an all-rounder in the grand scheme of electrification, it also ticks the box for battery manufacturing, expanding its efforts to produce more EV battery cells.
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