EV Charging Infrastructure - What Fleet Managers Need to Know
Electricity supply companies are facing enormous costs in infrastructure upgrades (bigger transformers, more cables, new substations) to meet the growing power demand of EVs. This is not so much a problem with domestic EVs as they are predominantly charged overnight at home, to take advantage of cheaper off-peak rates. Whereas the expectation for many business EV drivers is that they can plug in when they get to work in the morning. Which is a period that’s typically already witnessing peak demand as people plug in laptops, turn on computers and fire up the air conditioning.
The challenge of peak period charging
Exacerbating this situation is the common tendency to strive for a completely full battery. Which in many cases is simply a confidence measure that doesn’t recognise the reality of actual driving distances.
The twin pressures of charging EVs at peak periods and installing power-hungry super-fast chargers to power up as quickly as possible can exceed the power supply to a work site necessitating upgrades in the network supply to the site and the electricity infrastructure within the site.
Smart charging for business fleets
The answer is to deploy smart charging infrastructure which takes the pressure off the electricity network and reduces the requirement for expensive upgrades to on-site infrastructure. The results of this approach are substancial. For instance, a charging infrastructure provider we spoke to gave the example of a customer wanting to add 50 chargers to their existing capacity of 13 chargers. Analysis showed that only six additional chargers could be added before requiring significant infrastructure upgrades. However, with a smart charger solution, the site could accommodate an additional 60 chargers without extensive upgrades.
This was an outstanding outcome, but how was it achieved?
Smart charging and power modulation
A smart charger on its own will provide valuable insights into how a charger is being used, but linking this data to fleet utilisation information transforms it into a comprehensive smart charging solution. This solution monitors EV charger power draw and matches it against power supply, modulating power to ensure all EVs receive sufficient power without compromising the supply.
How smart charging works
Smart charging solutions utilise telematics and historical usage data to automatically adjust power delivery. Factors considered include:
Does 'power modulation' compromise charging?
No, the solution is designed to reflect the specific requirements of the fleet. If you require a quick charge in the morning for some vehicles, and have longer charging timeframes for others, say two hours, this will be accommodated within the solution design.
Designing the right solution also comes down to selecting the right chargers. For example, in the scenario described above, any vehicles with a 2-hour window for charging could use cheaper AC chargers which would provide 40km of range per hour, instead of expensive DC super-fast chargers. It’s also worth noting that installing DC super-fast chargers doesn’t always guarantee a rapid fill-up to 100% battery.
Something called the ‘charge curve’ comes into play, where a vehicle hungrily accepts the full power load coming through from the charger and then slows down as its battery starts to heat up. Ever wondered why the last 20% of a battery takes the longest to fill?
Making an appropriate investment
When planning your EV charging infrastructure, focus on making an appropriate investment. Lining up a row of DC super-fast chargers may not be necessary. You should factor in your EV adoption goals. If the two or three EVs you’re bringing on board this year are just the start of a larger deployment, include that thinking in any infrastructure work. Laying cables can be the most expensive part of your EV charging solution; better to put in extra and close them off till needed.
Smartrak has developed a comprehensive solution aimed to address charging infrastructure challenges and avoid overspending on costly smart chargers. This EV enablement solution leverages live battery data out of your EVs to prompt actionable recommendations for efficient charging management. This solution helps you optimise vehicle usage by making each of your EVs battery, range, and charge status visible at all times, indicating the time it takes for your EV to reach 100% charge, and alerting you when a vehicle won't be sufficiently charged for an upcoming booking, enabling prompt reallocation. With these kinds of insights, you can ensure your fleet operates smoothly, minimises downtime and maximises efficiency.
Talk to the experts
Consulting with charging solution providers can bring valuable analysis to your charging requirements, helping you make informed decisions and avoid costly rethinks.
These insights have been drawn from a webinar Smartrak hosted with three of New Zealand's personal and business charging infrastructure experts; We.EV , Jump Charging and OpenLoop .
Watch the full conversation On Demand here.
Or find out how Smartrak can help solve your charging challenges.