SUPPLIER STORIES
Innovation in the fast lane
How advances in charging technology and interoperability are helping to boost EV adoption. By Richard Earl, head of R&D, EO Charging
Photo credit: Andy Hughes
Over the past 10 years, the electric vehicle charging industry has rapidly expanded, driven by technological advances, government policies and a global push towards sustainability. As businesses and public sector organisations work to reduce emissions and operational costs, EVs have become central to commercial fleet management.
Fleet operators in some of the UK’s busiest cities are switching to electric, from logistics and utilities to public transportation. Indeed, experts predict that 2025 will be a pivotal year for EV adoption – and we’re already seeing this take shape.
In January 2025, BT announced the UK’s largest-ever commercial EV fleet order. With the UK government’s plan for all vehicles to be zero emission by 2035, this trend will continue to gain momentum as organisations prepare to transition.
However, fleet electrification doesn’t stop with the vehicles themselves – it's just one part of the equation. Key challenges remain to sustain this growth; most notably the need for fast, reliable charging infrastructure
Advances in charging technology
As EV adoption takes off, the concept of ‘charge assurance’ has emerged. This idea aims to guarantee businesses relying on EV fleets have consistent access to efficient and dependable charging experiences, ensuring their fleet is ready when they need it. Charge assurance will become key as operators strive not only to meet sustainability goals but create operational efficiencies against total cost of ownership.
Recent innovations in charging technology are helping fleets overcome infrastructure challenges and improve charging speed, efficiency and reliability. For example, ultra-fast charging stations can deliver up to 350kW; enabling EVs to reach 80% charge in under 30 minutes. This can reduce vehicle downtime, making electrification viable for fleets operating on tight schedules – one example is the installation of pantographs for buses, where they can boost their charge while taking on passengers.
It’s important to note the interdependence between vehicle and charging infrastructure. The two are evolving together such that when the right vehicle is plugged into the right charger, optimal charging speeds can be achieved, whereas if an older vehicle is plugged into a newer charger, it will continue to charge slowly. Therefore, both sides are advancing in step – and will continue to in the future.
ISO 15118 – an intelligent charging communication standard – enables seamless ‘plug and play’ functionality. Drivers can connect their vehicles without further authentication, unlocking new use cases such as easier payments for public charging customers and vehicle-to-grid functionality. In addition, 15118 is being adopted within fleets, replacing vehicle telematics within the depot as we can now get battery information and vehicle identification securely over the charging infrastructure.
Scalability has also become a priority; traditional charging infrastructure required major upfront investment, creating a barrier to adoption. However, the introduction of modular solutions enables fleet operators to scale charging capacity in line with fleet growth and avoiding unnecessary spending. This adaptability is essential for companies transitioning incrementally from internal combustion engines (ICE) to EVs.
“The introduction of modular solutions enables fleet operators to scale charging capacity in line with fleet growth and avoiding unnecessary spending”
Richard Earl Head of R&D, EO Charging
Standardisation and interoperability
Standardised charging protocols have become another fundamental. The industry has adopted universal charging connectors such as Type 2 for AC charging and CCS for high power, which provide fleet operators with a broader range of charging points.
Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) has further enhanced interoperability, enabling businesses to manage multiple charging networks from a single platform. Now an official ISO standard (63584), this technology facilitates remote monitoring, diagnostics and performance optimisation, ensuring more efficient management of large-scale charging infrastructure. Companies and government agencies will likely include this standard in their tenders, helping to drive adoption.
Another protocol – Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) – enables roaming and payments between charge networks, whilst OpenADR enables integrations to utilities and aggregators for cost optimisation and answers growing calls for open standards.
Continued innovation in charging technologies, along with improvements in interoperability and scalability, will secure current business operations and unlock new operational and business streams. This approach will ensure that the switch to electric vehicles is efficient and sustainable but will also become increasingly commercially attractive.
