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The art of electrification
Natasha Fry, head of sales – fleet and workplace charging at Mer UK, shares her experiences with charging EV fleets – and gives her predictions on what’s next for the industry
Natasha Fry, head of sales, Mer
From understanding how much power is available at a site where charging infrastructure will be installed, to knowing how to diagnose and repair faults with the charge points, developing and maintaining EV charging infrastructure solutions to power an electric fleet can be complex. With many factors to consider, joining forces with an expert EV charging partner is crucial for fleet managers to guarantee they are switching their fleet in the most effective way.
Supporting fleet managers with their EV charging challenges is a rewarding experience
At Mer, we’re passionate about reliable and future-proofed EV charging infrastructure for fleets. When fleet managers take a proactive approach to embracing the electric mobility transition, we can guide them through the entire process and bring a bespoke charging solution to support their operations.
One of our forward-thinking customers is DX Group, a logistics network operator with more than 850 vehicles from a network of 87 depots. DX was looking for a charging infrastructure partner to support the first dozen EVs operating from its depots in Southampton and Warrington – and to prepare for the forthcoming roll-out of more EVs into its fleet.
Fleet managers should not have to become experts in electrical infrastructure to facilitate the EV roll-out, but when you factor in power restrictions and upgrades, the decision to electrify a fleet of vehicles can be daunting.
This is where Mer steps in. For DX, we initially carried out site surveys to help its fleet managers understand the energy constraints at each depot, based on their current grid connections. We proposed solutions to work around these constraints, such as using load-balancing technology. We were able to provide a bespoke solution for DX by understanding its vehicles’ workloads, range and available recharge time, to recommend the most cost-effective charge points.
As a result, we knew that installing 7kW fast chargers was the right choice to ensure drivers could plug in at the end of the day and their vehicles would fully recharge overnight, ready for another shift.
Leaving no stone unturned, we provided a comprehensive service for DX that has allowed them to build a strong fleet of EVs that can be trusted to carry out its mission-critical journeys.
“When fleet managers take a proactive approach to embracing the electric mobility transition, we can guide them through the entire process and bring a bespoke charging solution to support their operations”
This year and and beyond will see the EV fleet industry thrive
The growing vehicle market will offer fleet managers much more choice when deciding which vehicles to bring into their fleet. Rather than having to ‘fit the mould’ or go for the ‘one size fits all’ approach, the greater flexibility will mean electric fleets are well suited to the fleet’s unique operations.
As well as flexibility in the vehicle market, fleet managers can also benefit from flexibility with their EV charging solutions. They will be able to incentivise EV adoption with bespoke solutions that they can create in collaboration with charge points operators.
As new vehicles with different payloads and ranges come to market, fleet operators will have the ability to install EV charging stations at depots in more rural areas where charging infrastructure is sparser. Whereas, historically, most organisations have focused on transitioning their fleets at depots near big cities and installing charging infrastructure there.
We are excited to see where the market goes next, particularly when it comes to the electrification of commercial and goods fleet vehicles. This does not come without its challenges though – and Mer is ready to support fleet managers looking for an experienced EV charging partner with our solutions for commercial vehicles.
