Route Monkey's '˜world leading' electric car app wins £285k of funding

THE cash boost will help algorithm specialist Route Monkey accelerate development of game-changing solution for electric vehicle users

Route Monkey wins funding for electric car app. Picture: Contributed/Route Monkey

Scottish Enterprise is supporting the research and development of a ground-breaking app that aims to improve life for the fast-growing number of electric vehicle (EV) users.

Livingston-based Route Monkey is creating an online portal that aims to help EV drivers get the best out of their battery-powered cars, vans and trucks. The software will combine the ability to plan the best routes for an EV, give turn-by-turn directions via a smartphone navigation app, and identify charging points en route.

In what is described as a world first, Route Monkey will use Trakm8’s market-leading T10 Micro telematics technology to give EV drivers a raft of real time journey and battery data, straight to their smartphone. This will enable Route Monkey to accurately recalculate routes and plan in extra recharging time depending on journey conditions.

Route Monkey’s solution will be designed to encourage the uptake of EVs for consumers and smaller fleets in the public and private sectors.

EVs have finite battery capacity (range) and defined recharge rates, which can challenge their productivity.

Scottish Enterprise has awarded Route Monkey an R&D grant of £285,451 which contributes to the overall project cost of £749,931. This grant will accelerate the company’s R&D programme, enabling it to deliver this unique software as a service (SAAS) offering to the market as quickly as possible.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, Keith Brown said: “Encouraging and nurturing innovation is a key element of our plan for Scotland’s economy. It helps businesses grow and access new markets and new customers, protecting and creating jobs.

“Route Monkey is a great example of a digital business that is innovating and this project is a world leader – which will also help owners and developers of electric vehicles.

“It is great news Scottish Enterprise has been able to support its product development through this R&D funding.

Jim Watson, Director of Innovation and Enterprise Services at Scottish Enterprise, said: “This is an exciting idea that could accelerate take-up of EVs, by making them more cost-effective and even easier to use.

“Scotland is leading the way in encouraging the take up of EVs. After London, ChargePlace Scotland is the largest EV charging network in the UK; while Dundee is also home to the largest local authority EV fleet, as well as an all-electric taxi fleet.

“Innovative companies like Route Monkey play a key role in enabling Scotland to spearhead the switch to lower carbon transport - and in developing leading-edge technologies that we can export to the world.”

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