Welch Group will be conducting a trial of depot flexibility software to schedules charging around departures rather than arrivals.
The trial with TOGL is part of the fifth Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator, delivered by Connected Places Catapult on behalf of the Department for Transport.
One of 11 SMEs selected to develop a trial, TOGL will examine how much charging flexibility exists within Welch’s haulage operation without interfering with its transport schedule.
Electric vehicle charging can place a substantial new load on a depot, particularly when vehicles return and plug in at similar times. This can increase charging costs, consume the site’s available capacity and bring forward the need for a costly grid connection upgrade.
TOGL, through its depot flexibility software, schedules charging around departures rather than arrivals, aiming to move charging into lower-cost periods, reduce unnecessary peaks, fit more vehicles onto the existing connection and keep every vehicle ready for its shift.
Working with Welch Group will test this approach against real shift patterns, vehicle requirements and site power limits.
Will Maden, CEO and Co-Founder of TOGL, said: “The opportunity to work with Welch Group means we can develop a trial around real vehicle movements. We'll show how TOGL can reduce charging cost, fit more vehicles onto the depot’s grid connection, and, crucially, make sure every vehicle is ready for its shift.”
TOGL has also announced it has completed an £850,000 pre-seed investment round to support the development and commercial rollout of depot flexibility software designed to cut fleet charging costs, fit more electric vehicles onto existing grid connections and ensure every vehicle is ready for its shift.
The round was led by Haatch, the angel syndicate platform and key investment manager for the British Business Bank, with additional investment from Setanta Vehicle Importers, the authorised Renault Trucks importer in Ireland, and Lancashire-based angel investors Fhunded Angels.
TOGL will use the funding to expand its team, develop its technology and accelerate its work with fleet operators, energy partners and other industry stakeholders. This is in addition to TOGL securing an initial £25,000 investment earlier this month as part of the Baltic Ventures Accelerator 2026.
