Accessible Maritime EV Charging
Lead Participant:
ALBRIGHT PRODUCT DESIGN LIMITED
Abstract
Our project will address accessibility challenges in Maritime EV-charging to improve charging infrastructure for boats & vessels which are currently served by adapted Automotive EV chargers. The team's experience and research shows Auto-chargers come with inherent accessibility limitations which can prevent users, including those with disabilities, from accessing this infrastructure, reducing uptake in the transition to EVs. Common issues include cable-management and poor installation design. The challenging maritime environment adds another layer of complexity including tidal variation, busy working environments and demanding weather conditions.
"There are lessons the automotive industry can teach us, however, however additional requirements unique to electric boats need to be considered for the technology to be successful.' CENEX 2022\.
Our focus will be commercial vessels under 24m and 400kWh where accessibility is crucial for both safety & operational efficiency. They provide critical transport and industry in coastal regions from ports & harbours around the UK serving vital functions for fishing, leisure and access to remote areas.
Demand for electric maritime transport is growing, estimated to globally reach $15-20B within 5 years (IDTechEx), driven by the Maritime 2050 decarbonisation plan. Maritime authorities hold the responsibility of providing accessible hardware, but readily available accessible solutions are lacking through chargepoint operators (CPOs) who supply and manage charging hardware.
We have developed a ground-breaking accessible Auto EV-charger with proven accessibility benefits. In this project we will develop this technology to serve the Marine industry. We will use interviews and live trials with key stakeholders, including harbour masters, chargepoint operators, specialist disability experts, end-users and vessel operators. Directly observing users within the environment will provide insights into the demanding maritime environment challenges.
Demonstrators of the design with a strong emphasis on inclusive design & sustainability will be developed and tested in real-world situations and with end-users to inform the outcomes. Research and sustainability findings will be reported to benefit the maritime industry, fostering creativity and adding value to the project for the taxpayer.
Outcomes of this project will have wider applications including the private, leisure, overseas maritime and transferable ZEV markets. Led by a team who have successfully commercialised disruptive automotive EV-chargers, a sustainability expert with years of maritime experience and Plymouth University who will host a living Laboratory, we will engage high-profile stakeholders to deliver new insights and opportunities to improve the design of charging hardware in this emerging sector.
"There are lessons the automotive industry can teach us, however, however additional requirements unique to electric boats need to be considered for the technology to be successful.' CENEX 2022\.
Our focus will be commercial vessels under 24m and 400kWh where accessibility is crucial for both safety & operational efficiency. They provide critical transport and industry in coastal regions from ports & harbours around the UK serving vital functions for fishing, leisure and access to remote areas.
Demand for electric maritime transport is growing, estimated to globally reach $15-20B within 5 years (IDTechEx), driven by the Maritime 2050 decarbonisation plan. Maritime authorities hold the responsibility of providing accessible hardware, but readily available accessible solutions are lacking through chargepoint operators (CPOs) who supply and manage charging hardware.
We have developed a ground-breaking accessible Auto EV-charger with proven accessibility benefits. In this project we will develop this technology to serve the Marine industry. We will use interviews and live trials with key stakeholders, including harbour masters, chargepoint operators, specialist disability experts, end-users and vessel operators. Directly observing users within the environment will provide insights into the demanding maritime environment challenges.
Demonstrators of the design with a strong emphasis on inclusive design & sustainability will be developed and tested in real-world situations and with end-users to inform the outcomes. Research and sustainability findings will be reported to benefit the maritime industry, fostering creativity and adding value to the project for the taxpayer.
Outcomes of this project will have wider applications including the private, leisure, overseas maritime and transferable ZEV markets. Led by a team who have successfully commercialised disruptive automotive EV-chargers, a sustainability expert with years of maritime experience and Plymouth University who will host a living Laboratory, we will engage high-profile stakeholders to deliver new insights and opportunities to improve the design of charging hardware in this emerging sector.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| ALBRIGHT PRODUCT DESIGN LIMITED | £83,293 | £ 58,305 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Andrew Aylesbury (Project Manager) |