As they look to realise ambitious electrification goals and install EV charging infrastructure for their fleets, fleet managers may face a problem: the reality of power availability. EVs use a lot of energy, and introducing EVs to a depot’s fleet will increase power usage. Without a true understanding of the power availability at a depot and the costs of any necessary grid upgrades, the roll-out of last mile EV delivery fleets could be delayed. Putting the time in early can save time and money down the line and help fleet managers ensure their electrification objectives are met on time.

Do you have enough power to charge your fleet?

Start with an analytical approach to the charging infrastructure, and determine how much power is needed and where it comes from. As a site only has a limited amount of electricity available, fleet managers need to know how much power they’re already using and how much is left from their grid connection. Site surveys, which can be conducted by EV charging providers, are an efficient way to gain a good understanding of what power is currently available on site and how to bridge potential gaps by upgrading the grid connection.

If investigations highlight your current power connection will not be enough to support the number of chargers required to support your fleet, a connection upgrade must be factored into the project budget and the electrification timelines.

Alternatively, load balancing is a cost-effective option if power availability is a concern and budgets are tight. Load balancing technology fairly distributes the available power across multiple vehicles. Crucially, load balancing means you will not compromise power to other operations or be left with a surcharge from your Distribution Network Operator (DNO).