Guide to EV charging for fleets
How to assess your needs and build an EV programme that aligns to your goals.
Ultimately, if you’re going to electrify your fleet, you need to show stakeholders that electric can do everything petrol and diesel can, while also costing less in the long run. To do so, you need to do a full route analysis. Research from the Department of Transport shows over half of UK van drivers stay local, only travelling within 15 miles of their base on a typical day, so it’s likely your vehicles do not need to go as far as you think between charges.
Key questions to ask are:
- Where do you park your vehicles when they’re not in use?
- What are your charging options on the routes or in the areas travelled by your vehicles?
- What is the average daily distance travelled by each vehicle? How many vehicles does your fleet consist of?
Use the below questions to guide your assessment:
Rapid charging or fast?
If your vehicles return to a depot overnight, on-site facilities using AC fast chargers, 22kW and under, are the most suitable option. But if vehicles need to return to base for a quick charge before hitting the road again, rapid charging will be necessary.
Where do your vehicles need charging?
If drivers take their vehicles home, you’ll need to have the hardware for domestic charging installed for them. For drivers who don’t have off-street parking, you need to allow them to charge on site or allow them to use public charger.
Does your fleet cover long distances?
If so, public charging infrastructure is going to be crucial, so it will pay to have a comprehensive understanding of the national charging network.
Charging options in a nutshell
Charging on site
Charging on-site, at a workplace or depot, makes the most sense as this provides you with better control over how and when your fleet charges. At Equans, we manage the full end to-end process for your firm, from installation to ongoing management through the GeniePoint platform. We create bespoke, scalable solutions for your business so you can increase charging capacity as and when you need to.
Charging on the go
For fleets that travel longer distances without returning to base, the public charging network is available to complement your on-site charging solution. EV charging infrastructure is growing rapidly to meet 21st Century needs: as of the end of June 2023, there were 44,408 public charging points in the UK.
Equans’ GeniePoint network alone has more than 500 rapid chargers across the UK, with most charging the average EV in under 45 minutes. Billing, too, is simple: many charge-point network operators offer trade accounts, for use by multiple drivers with billing in arrears, mirroring petrol fuel cards. Finally, 24/7 support for drivers ensures maximum uptime.
Charging at home
For return-to-home fleets, home charging solutions are a good option. However, you cannot rely on this alone: nearly 25% of households don’t have access to off-street parking in the UK. For this reason, combining home charging with the option of charging on-site and public charging is crucial.
The combined charging solution
More often than not, the best charging solution for your fleet isn’t any one of the above; it’s likely a combination of them all. This may seem overwhelming, but charging partners can deliver a fully tailored combined charging solution based around your fleet, drivers and business.
How to get started?
At Equans, we provide a one-stop shop for all your charging needs, making the transitioning process stress-free. Our consultative approach means we’ll work with you to design the right solution, tailored for your fleet, your drivers and your business, from programme design to ongoing charge-point management.
Our innovative solutions combine charging, payments and billing across multiple locations. We can also work with you to build your business case, train your drivers in EV literacy and ensure your site is EV ready, with home, on-site and on-the-go solutions available to fulfil your needs.
When you're ready to make the move to EV, speak to one of our experts and we'll guide you through the full process.