Route Monkey, which has developed a scheduling system for electric vehicles, has secured investment worth £ 500,000 from the Finance for Business North East Technology Fund. This money will be used for product development, especially within the electric vehicle segment, and to open a base in Newcastle. The company’s product helps fleet managers identify the most appropriate vehicle for each delivery or collection, and thus removes some of the anxiety surrounding the range capabilities, particularly for electric commercial vehicles. Route Monkey has also reached a strategic agreement with Smith Electric vehicles, one of the world’s largest suppliers of electric UV’s. This agreement will see an interface between the Smith telematics system and the Route Monkey software.