Fleet electrification is a cost-effective way to reduce emissions and lower fuel costs. But it’s not without its challenges.
One important challenge is developing an adequate charging infrastructure for the EVs in your fleet. Fleet managers need to assess their current needs and work with experts to design a scalable solution for future growth.
When is DC Fast Charging Right for Your Fleet?
The switch to electric vehicles (EVs) is a big commitment, and fleet managers must consider all the elements involved. EVs are an eco-friendly transportation option that can help fleets reduce their carbon footprint while reducing maintenance costs and improving driver satisfaction. But in order to reap the full benefits of EVs, fleet managers need to ensure their charging infrastructure is optimized to support the increased energy demand of EVs.
When selecting the best EV charging station solutions for your fleet, consider the unique needs of each vehicle type. Each vehicle has a different battery speed and capacity, which can impact the time it takes to fully charge. The most efficient solution will consider your vehicle type and daily mileage and provide an optimal charging experience for your entire fleet.
As EV adoption continues to grow, your charging station solutions should be scalable to accommodate your fleet’s growth. A scalable infrastructure will allow you to easily add additional chargers as your fleet grows without significant additional investments.
Additionally, look for solutions that incorporate smart connectivity and remote management capabilities. This allows fleet managers to monitor and optimize charging schedules, track energy consumption, and perform updates from a central location.
Incorporating DC fast charging into your EV fleet can be a powerful tool to maximize your efficiency. By charging your fleet vehicles at a DC fast charger, you can get them up to 80% charged in about 20 minutes, which can make the difference between having enough range for the day and needing to call it quits by midday.
The best way to know if DC fast charging is right for your fleet is to start with a pilot program. Whether that’s implementing a handful of EVs in your company carpool or setting up an offsite location with public DC fast charging, a pilot will give you a clear understanding of how this new technology impacts your fleet and operations.
Once you’ve gathered all the data and feedback from your pilot, set a timeline to implement DC fast charging at scale throughout your entire fleet. As the infrastructure develops and battery prices continue to halve every three to four years, this option will become even more cost-effective for your organization.
AC Charging
EV fleets require an efficient and cost-effective charging solution. This can be achieved by installing a networked station that integrates digital technology to respond to energy demand, power prices, and more. With this type of smart EV charging, your fleet can enjoy a pay-as-you-go model that reduces upfront investment and operational costs.
Whether your EV fleet vehicles will be used in the workplace, at home, or at other locations, you’ll need to decide on the right type of chargers for each site. An AC charge station is the most common and affordable EV recharge. It takes around 30 minutes to an hour or more to fully charge a vehicle, depending on the state of its battery prior to charging and the level of the charger.
Some local electric utility providers offer special EV rates for fleets, which help lower electricity charges during peak hours. However, if you plan on charging your fleet vehicles at commercial or public sites, a more sophisticated solution may be required to take advantage of these rates. You may need a metering solution to track electricity usage separately and ensure your fleet gets the right rate structure. Moreover, you may need to install new electrical infrastructure to enable the chargers.
For example, an EVgo charger installation can be integrated into a parking lot or other commercial or industrial location to provide drivers with convenient access to charging at each of your company’s locations. The charger is connected to a vehicle via an onboard connector that communicates with the power station to ensure the correct electrical current flow. The system also monitors and maintains the correct state of charge (SOC) for each vehicle plugged in.
The AMPECO platform provides a complete set of electric vehicle fleet charging management capabilities, including hardware and software to connect, analyze, and manage EVs. You can connect it to your existing EV telematics or route management systems to get real-time data, analytics, and insights combined with automated transactions, usage, and cost reports per charging station, vehicle, or driver. It also supports dynamic power-sharing options to avoid excessive peak demand charges from your local electricity provider.
Level 1 Charging
We’re all familiar with octane ratings at gas stations, but did you know there are also EV charging levels? Like octane, the higher the level, the faster the charge. Level 1 is the slowest.
Automakers almost always include a small, Level 1 EV charger with every plug-in vehicle they sell. This portable charger looks like a small box or cylinder with a grounded household plug on one end and a longer cord with a pistol-grip connector that plugs into the EV on the other end. This is technically called electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).
These chargers are the kind you might see in a parking garage or lot, though they can also be installed in multiunit dwellings, like apartment complexes and condominiums, as well as some workplaces. They plug into standard 120V electrical outlets, just like the plug-in appliances in your home. They add power to your EV battery at a rate that’s roughly equivalent to adding 12-32 miles of range per hour of charging.
Depending on the amount of electricity consumed during charging, it may make sense for your fleet to invest in a networked solution that provides custom alerts and optimizes operating schedules and energy management goals. This can help reduce electricity costs through time-of-use pricing and peak demand charges, prioritize EV departure times, and more.
Fleets can also hard-wire their fleet sites with 240V Level 2 charging units, which can charge vehicles about six to eight times faster than a Level 1 setup. These EV chargers use three to four times the amperage as a Level 1 unit and can add a full charge to an EV’s battery in about two hours.
Installing a Level 2 charging station on your property can require an electrician to install a dedicated 240V outlet and a breaker box for the EV charger. It’s important to consult a professional for the best results, especially if you plan on installing several of these chargers. Also, consider that a Level 2 charger requires a meter that can handle the increased load of a larger draw during charging.
Level 2 Charging
Level 2 charging upgrades from the alternating current (AC) used in Level 1 and 2 to direct current (DC). Often referred to as DC fast chargers, they are able to charge an electric vehicle up to 80 percent of its battery capacity in under an hour. This increases the practicality and utility of owning an electric car, reducing range anxiety, and encouraging more consumers to consider making the switch.
You’ll find Level 2 chargers at public stations in places like parks, leisure centers, and roadside rest stops. They’re also ideal for commercial locations that offer long-term parking, such as office buildings and shopping malls. These sites not only provide an essential service for EV drivers, but they can also help to attract and retain tenants and customers, demonstrating the company’s commitment to sustainability.
Installing Level 2 charging at home is easy for plug-in hybrid or battery electric car owners with a compatible 240-volt outlet. Most electric vehicles come with a cord that can be plugged into a standard home outlet, and many electric utilities offer special time-of-use rates that reduce charging costs.
To maximize the benefit of Level 2 charging, fleets should use a power management system that balances energy consumption between the charging station and existing on-site generation. This helps to minimize peak demand charges on electricity bills and lowers the total cost of ownership for the EV charging station over its lifespan.
The EV charging system must be engineered, permitted, and built to meet all relevant electrical codes. This includes the installation of a dedicated AC circuit that connects the charging station to the utility power grid and a backup generator. This is critical to ensure that the charging system can operate properly if there are power outages.
Fleets should develop a plan for training EV drivers, vehicle technicians, and operations staff on the proper usage of charging equipment and coordinating with local first responders to avoid any potential issues that could arise during a vehicle breakdown or emergency. In addition, they should develop a policy on how to manage charging logistics when the fleet is at its busiest, such as during rush hour or when weather conditions may impact charging speed.
