Electric vehicle (EV) fleet and battery storage company, Zenobe, has opened its new Innovation Centre.

Zenobe said it will test the latest EV charging solutions within a technology-agnostic setting to identify the most cost effective and optimal charging solutions for fleet operators, as well as driving innovation in the electric transport sector.

The Centre can help simulate the intricacies of depot charging with the ability to charge multiple buses and electric cars at one time while connected to a Powerskid, a 100kW battery storage asset made from second-life batteries, Zenobe said.

Steven Meersman, founder director at Zenobe, said: “The Innovation Centre is an evolution of our service offering and will ensure we give even better service to our customers in two ways - by testing components, chargers and other equipment continuously and by enabling us to commission and integrate equipment before anything arrives on site ensuring a smooth customer experience during this important but sometimes overwhelming transition to zero emission fleets.”

The Powerskid, a clean and portable temporary power source made from refurbished EV batteries, will enable Zenobe to assess how innovations such as V2G charging and grid enhancement services to support the additional power required for EV charging can be scaled up and implemented for the fleet operator, it said.

The Innovation Centre will also trial and interface different models of charger and EVs to provide insight into the relationship between the charger and vehicle.

The company said it by investigating and testing the software and charging infrastructure within the Innovation Centre environment, it will further expand its fleet electrification capabilities and knowledge base.

The new centre was opened by MP Penny Mordaunt. Speaking at the launch, she said: “Zenobe’s new Innovation Centre facility and its commitment to continuously testing and researching new technology that supports the sustainable transition of the UK’s bus, truck and van fleets to electric will ensure that we meet our ambitious commitment to our net zero goals.”

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