Bright spark’s elecric car idea wins £5,000

A Bath student has won £5,000 for his idea for helping would-be electric car owners pick the most suitable vehicle for their needs.

Tom Christensen’s groundbreaking solution led competition organisers Keyloop, a global automotive technology company, to create the ‘Dealer Tech Innovation Award’ in recognition of his “brilliant thinking”.

His entry involved building a software platform for consumers to compare and recommend the most suitable electric vehicle based on their typical daily routine.

“I participated to challenge myself and learn new skills,” said 21-year-old Tom, inset.

The Dealer Tech competition tasks students across the UK, Ireland and Canada to develop an innovative techfocused product idea that could make an impact on the automotive retail industry.

This year, many had a sustainability angle that could help an industry that is responsible for around 15 per cent of global carbon emissions.

Glen Demetrioff, chief innovation officer of Keyloop, said: “We are always looking for the next innovative ideas and value the future generation of talent for our industry.

“As such, it was exciting to see such a diverse set of creative and innovative product ideas that could help revolutionise the industry for the better.”

Tom’s software also helps consumers visualise the various environmental benefits, by comparing electric vehicles against their petrol and diesel counterparts.

He said: “I participated in the competition because I wanted to challenge myself and learn some new skills that I wouldn’t be taught on my course.

“I benefitted most from developing a product all the way from the ideation stage to the development stage and then through to the pitching stage, giving me a wide range of useful experience and skills to help me in my career.”