If you’re a fleet manager looking to electrify your fleet, you’ll need to make sure you have the proper charging infrastructure in place to fuel your vehicles. Explore the top charging options for your electric fleet with the EV Charging Summit & Expo team.
Determine Whether Depot or On-Route Charging Will Be the Best Fit
The first step in planning a fleet electrification project is to explore whether in-depot or on-route charging will work best for your fleet. That choice will help determine your next steps.
Is Your Depot EV-Ready or EV-Capable?
If your fleet’s depot has adequate electrical infrastructure to support EV charging, depot charging might be an excellent choice. That’s especially true if your depot is already EV-ready or EV-capable.
If Not, Do You Have the Capacity to Upgrade Your Charging Infrastructure?
However, if your depot doesn’t have adequate infrastructure, you should look over your budget to see if you have the funds to upgrade your facility. Know what codes you’ll need to adhere to and how much you’ll need to spend before you commit to the construction project.
Are You Able to Find Adequate Public Charging Options Nearby or On-Route?
Before you decide what would be the best charging option for your fleet, research public charging options in your area. If you live and work in a community with plenty of available charging stations that meet your needs, then you might not need to install charging stations at your fleet depot. Public charging stations could be your best choice.
If most of your fleet vehicles are Class 3 or larger, in-depot charging will usually be the preferred option. As Electrada’s Kathy Hitchens points out, 83% of these larger vehicles “are well-suited for depot-based charging.”
In-depot charging, as a BP Pulse article indicates, is many fleet managers’ “primary option” to power larger vehicles. It’s also an excellent choice for fleets with a large number of smaller vehicles if limited public charging options exist in the area.
Once you’ve determined the suitability of your fleet depot to charge your fleet vehicles, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the advantages and disadvantages of the top electric fleet charging options.
1. Permanent In-Depot Charging
When you install permanent EV charging infrastructure in your facilities, you can charge your fleet vehicles while you’re not using them. Fleets that don’t run 24/7, such as school buses and some transit buses, can charge overnight without any interruption to service. That removes the uncertainty of finding available public chargers.
With permanent charging stations, you can utilize charge management software. This software enables you to charge your vehicles during off-peak hours, reducing your energy bills. Additionally, if your vehicles and chargers are V2G-capable, you can earn passive income by sending excess energy back to the grid.
However, for long-distance hauls, medium- and heavy-duty fleet vehicles need to arrange their routes to pass by charging stations that can accommodate larger vehicles. During overnight stops, Level 2 chargers might provide an adequate charge.
However, if the vehicles need a fast top-up while they’re still on the road, they’ll need to choose a route with easy access to DC fast charging stations. As the BP Pulse post points out, major charging networks are expanding their inventory of fast chargers as EV usage expands among passenger and commercial vehicles alike.
In addition, larger charging networks usually offer apps that allow drivers to navigate to the closest charging stations. That makes public charging a valuable backup option for fleets with in-depot charging.
2. Public Charging Networks
For smaller fleets or those using smaller EVs, such as taxi fleets, small vans, and pickup trucks, public charging stations might be the best option. As a Qmerit post points out, many drivers in these fleets can take their vehicles home and charge them at public stations on their way there.
Additionally, public charging networks can be a stopgap solution if the fleet company plans to phase out gas- and diesel-powered vehicles gradually.
However, as EV usage grows nationwide, fleets that rely on public charging might experience long waits at charging stations. That’s especially an impediment to fleets that depend on timely deliveries to keep their customers happy.
Some regions, too, lack adequate charging infrastructure. If your fleet travels through these “charging deserts,” consider lining up an alternative way to charge your fleet vehicles in these areas.
3. Mobile EV Charging
If your fleet company doesn’t have the budget or the space to install in-depot charging infrastructure, mobile charging units could still make your transition to an EV fleet possible. Mobile charging is also an excellent option for fleets operating in areas without adequate public charging options.
Companies with fleet vehicles that need to travel to off-grid locations, such as construction firms and companies that take tourists to remote attractions, can also benefit from mobile charging.
Some mobile chargers are modular, battery-powered solutions that stack together to deliver more power. These smaller chargers are easy to transport into remote locations that are too difficult to access with larger vehicles. Although these smaller chargers can only deliver limited mileage, they still provide a dependable source of short-term power in emergencies.
Others, though, are larger, more powerful machines that mobile charging companies can bring to less remote locations. Some fleets utilize these chargers if they cannot construct permanent charging infrastructure. Having a mobile service enables them to use electric vehicles without the hassle and expense of a major construction project.
Hiring a mobile charging service also gives busy fleet managers the option to avoid long waits at public charging stations. Mobile charging services deliver a charger to a driver’s exact location, charge the vehicle, and send the driver on their way without a minute wasted.
For delivery fleets or passenger transportation services operating on a strict schedule, the ability to charge on demand is crucial for fulfilling their promise to deliver on time. Mobile charging is an option well worth considering as a backup for busy fleets that need to keep moving when public chargers are unavailable.
Here are some of the most popular uses for mobile EV charging:
Emergency Charging
No matter how carefully your drivers plan their routes, emergencies can arise. Public charging stations can malfunction, local grids can go down, and charging apps might have outdated information, stranding your drivers and fleet vehicles.
Mobile charging services can get your drivers back on the road for a relatively low fee — about $50 to $150, according to a Charge Ninja post. Before your drivers encounter one of these situations, keep a list of mobile charging services in areas your vehicles travel through.
Scheduled Fleet Charging
Many mobile charging services offer a subscription model for fleet companies. For a monthly per-vehicle fee, the charging service will bring a battery electric storage system (BESS) to your fleet depot to charge your vehicles during downtime or overnight.
App-Based Mobile Charging
It was only a matter of time before some entrepreneur brought the Uber/DoorDash model to EV fleet charging. Now, fleet owners can download an app that will dispatch the nearest mobile charging service to their location. The fee includes a dispatch fee and a kilowatt-per-hour (kWh) electricity charge, as the Charge Ninja points out.
Temporary EV Charging Services
EV fleet drivers whose work takes them to remote locations, festivals, or trade shows often need mobile chargers to get them back home after the event or project is over. Mobile charging services typically charge per day or week, depending on the length of the chargers’ deployment.
4. Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS)
If you prefer to concentrate on your primary business and let someone else handle the charging, charging-as-a-service (CaaS) is an excellent option. CaaS companies take care of all the setup for you — and can usually have you up and running in only a week.
Whether you choose a mobile charger or a permanent installation, most CaaS companies can install your equipment at no initial cost. Instead, they charge a monthly fee to monitor your performance and maintain the equipment.
As you expand your EV fleet, your solution can scale to handle charging as many vehicles as you can deploy. For example, you might start with a mobile unit. But as your business grows, you can add permanent in-depot charging stations. The only difference? You and your teams won’t have to manage the charging facilities.
5. Charge Management Systems
Transit agencies using electric vehicles often use charge management systems to manage the complexity of public fleet charging and deployment. Charge management systems can include both in-depot and on-route charging, with overhead charging infrastructure installed at regular bus stops.
Charge management systems work closely with the agency’s yard management system. These two systems assign vehicles, ensure that all vehicles carry an adequate charge to complete their routes, and keep both vehicles and charging infrastructure in working order. These systems also schedule charging to occur at off-peak hours to reduce operational costs.
In addition, they often factor in distributed energy resources (DERs) to serve as a backup system so that the transit service keeps rolling even during grid outages. As the funds come in to purchase the equipment, they often augment their existing charging options with battery storage, solar panels, generators, or wind turbines to generate enough power during emergencies.
Explore More Ways to Optimize Your Fleet at the EV Charging Summit & Expo
Learn from the EV fleet charging industry’s finest minds when you attend the EV Charging Summit & Expo. Bring your team and discover how the latest charging technology can optimize your fleet operations. Reserve your spot today!
