Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is delighted to accept the Hitachi Transformation Award for the Optimise Prime project,which is the world's largest commercial EV project dedicated to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

Optimise Prime is a three-year innovation project that will develop practical ways of over coming the up-front costs that are holding back many of the country's biggest commercial vehicle operators from making the switch to EVs. Led by global data technology solutions provider Hitachi Vantara and electricity distributor UK Power Networks, the trial will see up to 3,000 electric vehicles take to the road, supported by distribution network operator, SSEN.

The project will deliver an end-to-end overview of what the switch to EVs means for the cables and substations that deliver electricity to the community, for the businesses that need to invest in new infrastructure, and for the end users that need to power their vehicles. It is intentionally vehicle agnostic and includes depot, home and on-the-road charging scenarios.

SSEN is a leaderin the transition away from vehicles powered by fossil fuels.We are learning by doing,running innovative trials andsetting ambitious targets for ourselves.For example:

  • Optimise Prime supports SSE Group's decision to join the Climate Group's global EV100 initiative. Under this, SSE will switch 3,500of its vehicles to electric and install charging points for its 21,000 employees to use by 2030.

  • SSEN iscommitted tohelping to accommodate 10 million EVs on Great Britain's roads by 2030, by investing in electricity network flexibility and infrastructure. This supports the UN's9thSustainable Development Goal: to support industry, innovation and infrastructure.

  • SSEN has joined the Scottish Government'sstrategic partnershipon EVs,which will trial projects that widen access to electric vehicle charging networks and provide the electricity infrastructure needed to support it.

Hitachi Vantara's award recognises projects thataccelerate business transformationand drive real value for business and society.Award winners from around the world will be recognised atHitachi Vantara'sthird annual user conference, NEXT 2019, to be held in Las Vegas on8� 10October 2019.Optimise Prime is one of four Transformation Award winners, with the overall winner to bedecided by public vote. The People's Choice Award will be recognised on stage at the NEXT 2019 conference.

Richard Hartshorn,EV Readiness Managerat SSEN said:"We are delighted that Optimise Prime has been recognised by this international award.The project will create a detailed picture of the demands of electric fleet and private hire vehicles, making it possibleto develop solutions that cut the cost of owning and running electric vehicles, such as charging EVs outside the electricity network's peak times.

"The learnings that Optimise Prime will generate will be fundamental tospeedthe transitiontowards a cleaner, greener Great Britain."

Optimise Prime is a partnershipbetween SSEN,Hitachi, Uber, Centrica, Royal Mail and UK Power Networks.

To vote for Optimise Prime to win the People's Choice award, clickhere.

To read more about Optimise Prime, visit the websitehere.

To learn more about the NEXT 2019Conference, clickhere.