A landmark £1 million prize for pioneering AI innovations across energy, environment and infrastructure has been announced.

The Manchester Prize, launching for the first time, will focus on solutions to the challenges surrounding energy, environment and infrastructure for the first two years, running up to March 2025.

That could include using AI technology to support the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by optimising charging methods, reduce household energy consumption by using AI to identify targeted interventions like adding insulation or help lower costs for consumers by automating energy-intensive processes in manufacturing.

The UK sees AI as a critical tool in the fight to help the nation to significantly cut emissions by 2030 whilst working towards achieving net zero by 2050.

Entries are encouraged from UK-based companies, non-profits, universities and charities, with a deadline of 1st February 2024.

Up to 10 entries will be chosen to move forward in April 2024 and each of these finalists will win a prize of £100,000 to develop their ideas into a working prototype, with one of these teams going to win the £1 million grand prize.

The finalists and ultimate winner of the grand prize will be chosen based on five judging criteria: how innovative their solution is compared to current state of the art technology, the impact of the solution, long-term viability, feasibility of delivering a working prototype and evidence of safe and ethical AI development.

Viscount Camrose, Minister for AI and Intellectual Property said: “Our decade-long funding commitment for the Manchester Prize will allow the UK to continue harnessing the transformative opportunities of AI for public good.

“AI is already helping us to slash carbon emissions, unlocking incredible advances in healthcare and even improving our productivity in the workplace.

“The focus of this prize in helping tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges serves as a real call to arms for people and organisations from all walks of life to bring forward ingenious solutions.”

The namesake of the Manchester Prize is the Manchester Baby, the world’s first computer with an electronic memory, which was built at the University of Manchester.

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The AA has refuted claims suggesting that electric vehicles (EVs) encounter significant challenges during cold weather conditions in the UK.

Contrary to recent concerns sparked by reports from drivers in the US city of Chicago, the AA asserts that there is “no evidence” to support the notion that EVs falter in chilly temperatures within the UK.

According to the AA, only 2.3% of its callouts in January were related to EV batteries running out of power, marking the lowest level since September 2023.

These findings counter fears raised by incidents in the US where extreme cold led to rapid battery depletion and prolonged recharging times.

AA president Edmund King said: “There were lots of horror stories in January, originating in the US, that EVs don’t work in the cold.

“There is no evidence that the UK’s colder weather means EVs struggle, even if range is slightly reduced.”

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The overall cost of charging an electric vehicle (EV) on the UK’s public network has surged by 11% over the past year, according to new data published by Zapmap.

Derived from the Zapmap Price Index, which analyses over a million recorded charging sessions monthly, the figures reflect the weighted average cost for EV drivers to charge publicly.

According to the report, the rise in charging costs, particularly on the rapid/ultra-rapid network where the majority of charging occurs, can be attributed to two primary factors: consolidation and evolving charging preferences.

The top six rapid/ultra-rapid charging networks have aligned their prices to a median of 79p per kWh, with InstaVolt slightly higher at 85p per kWh.

Furthermore, there has been a notable increase in the utilisation of ultra-rapid charge points, which are generally pricier but offer faster charging capabilities.

In December 2023, ultra-rapid chargers surpassed rapid chargers in energy transfer volume for the first time.

Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Zapmap, said: “This year, with the continued uncertainty in wholesale energy prices and other cost pressures, don’t expect prices on the public charging network to come down in the near future.

“However, looking to the future, there are reasons to be positive. There is continued pressure on the government to equalise the VAT levels between domestic and public charging at 5%.”

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Indian conglomerate Tata has confirmed Bridgwater in Somerset as the site for its new £4 billion battery factory, operated by its battery business Agratas.

The Gravity Smart Campus location off the M5 is predicted to bring an economic boost to the region, creating around 4,000 jobs.

Last July, Tata announced its intention to build the gigafactory in the UK, securing approximately £500 million in subsidies from the UK Government.

Bridgwater emerged as the favoured location, with its historical significance as the former site of a factory producing high explosives for military use until its closure in 2008.

Agratas Chief Executive Tom Flack said: “Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to Somerset, helping to supercharge Britain’s transition to electric mobility whilst creating thousands of jobs in the process.”

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The UK’s automotive sector saw notable growth in February with a 14.0% increase in new car registrations, reaching 84,886 units, the highest since 2004, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

There was a significant uptick in demand for electric vehicles (EVs), particularly in the battery electric vehicle category, which accounted for 17.7% of total registrations, with most of this growth attributed to fleet purchases.

Hybrid electric vehicles registrations increased by 12.1%, although their year-on-year market share slightly decreased to 12.7%.

Plug-in hybrids saw the most significant proportional growth, rising by 29.1% to capture 7.2% of the market.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “The new car market’s ability to deliver growth continues with its best February for 20 years and this week’s Budget is an opportunity to ensure that growth is greener.

“Tackling the triple tax barrier as the market embarks on its busiest month of the year would boost EV demand, cutting carbon emissions and energising the economy. It will deliver a faster and fairer zero emission transition, putting Britain’s EV ambition back in the fast lane.”

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Specifically, they wanted to know what’s driving organisations to introduce and expand EV charging facilities across their sites.

Drax asked respondents who said they were likely to install further charging infrastructure in the next five years why they planned to. The top three motivators were need, influence, and benefits. In their report, “Driving change – the state of fleet electrification the UK”, they’ve broken down these responses – and some specific feedback – for a better understanding. Here’s a preview.

The need to future-proof

‘Need’, in this instance, related to organisational views that charging facility implementation was necessary for keeping up with global trends, customer expectations or the actions of competitors. Many respondents saw charging infrastructure introduction as ‘inevitable’ to serve the growing numbers of EVs.

Three in five respondents said they were motived by the general shift towards EVs and the need for their business to keep pace. Almost a third (31%) felt the world’s moving towards EVs.

What are the other motivators?

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Price comes out on top

Unsurprisingly perhaps, ‘price’ is the most important factor for UK business fleet managers and other decision-makers when choosing an EV solutions partner. Over a third – 36% – of respondents to research undertaken by Drax, ranked it as the number one driver.

Price becomes less potent if a partner can demonstrate wider value to the business in both the short and long term. So, as well as being competitive on the upfront costs, potential partners need to demonstrate the total cost of ownership (TCO) associated with their solution.

In addition to the initial outlay and running costs of the EVs themselves, TCO is likely to comprise two additional key factors.

Firstly, the organisation’s investment in charging infrastructure and its ongoing maintenance, and secondly the cost of the associated payment systems. Other operational expenses could include the data gathering and analysis that will help evaluate – and maximise – the financial benefits of EV adoption.

Read more on the other factors

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Their findings suggested that valuable information’s in short supply and that organisations are keen to allow others to test the water before taking the electrification plunge themselves.

Only a quarter of surveyed organisations have appointed a provider to help them with electrification planning, fleet conversion or charging infrastructure implementation.

Recognising the challenge but not the solution

While professionals within UK businesses seem to have a good understanding of the benefits electrification can bring, very few are confident enough to commit to investment.

Research by Drax found a significant EV-adoption knowledge gap and a perception of limited support content. Many prospective adopters cited a lack of valuable information as a contributing factor to their fear of commitment.

Read more on the results of Drax’s research

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Yet over half of businesses haven’t installed any charge points to date. Research from Drax into the state of fleet electrification in the UK studied the factors preventing organisations from taking the plunge.

Financial implications, fears relating to tech-suitability and competence, and concerns over derailing day-to-day operations were the most common barriers.

Money matters

25% of respondents cited ‘cost’ as the primary barrier to electric vehicle (EV) investment and over half listed it in their top three blockers. A third of responses featured the ‘current economic climate’ as one of the biggest obstacles.

But it isn’t just the lack of capital that’s preventing UK organisations from electrifying. Others specified the costs and uncertainty related to operating vehicles within London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone as a worry. And a quarter of businesses mentioned ‘insufficient government support’ among their highest three barriers – though, interestingly, one in three respondents weren’t aware of the support that is available.

Read more on the other barriers

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The European Commission has proposed a three-year extension of the current rules of origin for electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries under the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA).

The deal would avoid the imposition of 10% tariffs on the export of European-built battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to the UK.

The rules were designed in 2020 to incentivise investment in the EU’s battery manufacturing capacity.

However, circumstances including Russia’s war against Ukraine, COVID-19’s impact on supply chains and increased competition from new international subsidy support schemes, have led to a situation where the scaling-up of the European battery ecosystem has been slower than initially anticipated.

The Commission’s proposal includes a one-off extension of the current rules until 31st December 2026, a clause rendering it legally impossible for the EU-UK Partnership Council to extend this period further and an additional funding of up to €3 billion (£2.6bn) to boost the EU’s battery manufacturing industry.

According to Britain’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the 10% tariff due to have started on 1st January 2024 would have cost UK citizens an extra £3,400 on average on EU-manufactured BEVs and a £3,600 rise on UK-made BEVs sold in Europe.

Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President for European Green deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight said: “We want our European industry to be leaders in the green transition. By providing legal certainty on the applicable rules and unprecedented financial support to European producers of sustainable batteries, we will bolster the competitive edge of our industry, with a strong value chain for batteries and electric vehicles.

“This is a balanced solution that protects the EU’s interests.”

The deal will be put to the EU Council of Ministers next week for formal approval.

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