The Uses of AI for Commercial EV Fleets
Rather than delve into the usual prophesizing that comes with AI,...
With the transition to electric vehicles now well underway, and strict net zero emissions deadlines loom, charging infrastructure is becoming a standard feature in workplace and public car parks. However, fleet managers are faced with many challenges when incorporating electric vehicles (EV) and EV fleet charging infrastructure into their operations.
Can your sites cope with the increased demand for power needed to recharge multiple EVs? Or are you restricted in your fleet electrification plans by grid constraints? Do you even know how to get started or who needs to be involved with grid capacity planning for EV chargers? This blog explains everything you need to know about energy demand management and grid capacity planning.
Many EV fleet operators still face surprisingly low capacity from their local grid; a key challenge that’s forcing them to re-evaluate their fleet electrification strategies. This is causing many delays and frustrations for fleets that on their journey to a sustainable future
Fleet consultants at Mer believe that EV charging en masse requires some careful planning and a detailed understanding of each location’s power supply as well as the forecasted demand.
“As you would expect, an office building was constructed with the power needs of its occupants in mind, so it is centred around lighting, heating, and running IT equipment. As the use of electric vehicles grows, so does the expectation that these buildings will also provide EV charging, but that is not what they were designed to do.”
Natasha Fry, Head of Fleet Sales at Mer UK adds:
“This was not a problem in the early stages of fleet electrification when perhaps only a handful of EV charging points were required at each workplace. However, the next phase of mass adoption is testing grid capacity, and too often it is found wanting.
“These problems can be overcome with effective grid capacity management, but you need the right mix of solutions to do so. It is therefore really important for every fleet manager to understand what energy is available on site, and how to optimise it to make truly informed decisions on your EV roll-out.”
“At Mer, when we are talking to a potential new customer, the first step is to establish what supply is available and therefore how many charging points it could support. We provide the client with clear analysis on what infrastructure they can install without jeopardising the integrity of the power supply to the building itself.”
Fleet Consultant at Mer
In a commercial setting, you will inevitably have multiple vehicles charging at the same time, so you need to think carefully about how many charge points you need and make your decision based on how quickly your vehicles need to charge. At Mer, we are experts in load balancing and smart charging and can support you with your grid capacity planning and demand management.
Load balancing is when a network of charging points shares available power to ensure all vehicles can still be charged, albeit at slower rates. It is a far more cost-effective option than paying for a grid infrastructure upgrade.
“One of the biggest challenges that businesses face is getting the right power in the right place at the right time. EV chargers account for a lot of energy usage and that can be a big cost to a business. However, we can work around it with our active load balancing and smart charging technology, making the most effective use of whatever available power there is at a site. This helps delay further investment until a business gets to phase two or three of their electrification journey when they will need to bring in more power with a new DNO connection.”
Marvin Wright, Fleet Consultant at Mer
Site surveys, grid capacity and load balancing are all covered in our new free publication, The Complete Fleet Manager’s Guide to Electrification. This informative guide was created by Mer’s charging experts to help fleet managers better understand how to electrify their fleets.
It includes information on setting your electrification goals, how to procure the right chargers for each site, how to bring home charging into the mix, and how to efficiently manage a charging network.
The cost of bringing in additional power to the site can far outweigh the cost of the charging stations themselves, creating a real headache for businesses who haven’t planned this into their EV transition budgets.
Large charging infrastructure roll-outs will almost certainly require upgrades to the power supply to adequately meet the needs of a growing fleet. It may even be necessary to upgrade the grid feeder and the substation at a site.
If the number of EVs you want to charge exceeds the available power, the obvious step would be to upgrade the local grid infrastructure. However, if you lease your premises rather than own them, you are probably not in a position to make that decision – so an early conversation with your landlord would be necessary to gain all the necessary permissions.
In the UK, a District Network Operator (DNO) is responsible for the power supply to your sites. If you do go down this route, we can liaise with your DNO provider to provide up-front costs and, if you’re ready to go ahead, coordinate the new connection.
With the rise of cost-effective renewable energy, there are now ways to generate power on-site and store it for when it is needed. Our expert team can survey your premises and advise you on the best combination of technologies for your needs. This expertise also ensures that we have the right skills to project manage the installation of energy storage systems to integrate with EV charge point operation.
However, your workplace is very often not the only building connected to the local grid. When planning today’s EV charging infrastructure, also think about what you will need tomorrow, especially with the 2030 ban on new ICE vehicle sales coming into force.
Natasha Fry says:
“You may come into this process thinking that you need one or two charge points. However, as things evolve it’s virtually guaranteed that you will need more charging – and with that comes the need for more power. There will be a power grab by your neighbours as they look to get more supply into their depots and workplaces. A lot of businesses start their charge point roll-out quite small, but the speed of electrification is accelerating, so don’t get left behind.”
If all this sounds daunting, don’t be put off! Introducing charging solutions to your fleet can be a minefield, that is where EV charging infrastructure specialist Mer can support you. Fleet managers are not energy experts and you shouldn’t have to be. However, getting your EV infrastructure right the first time is vital. Working with an expert partner like Mer can ensure that grid constraints don’t act as a speed bump as fleets accelerate the transition to EVs.
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