EV charging basics for fleet managers

Develop a proactive charging plan to optimize costs.
Managing EVs requires a proactive charging plan, including on-site, off-site and en route applications. There are three typical ways to charge today's EVs, 120V, 240V and DC fast charging. Most business applications will utilize 240V level 2 charging equipment. Additionally, depending on the size of your fleet, you may need to develop a charger utilization plan that helps you manage charging resources and charge-readiness. There are a wide variety of software solutions available to help with this, some can even be integrated with your existing facilities management software.

Electric vehicle charging eliminate the need for stops at the gas station.
While it may take longer to charge an EV than it takes to fill a tank with gasoline, vehicles can be charged during off-hours, on-site, thus alleviating the need for employees to take vehicles to a gas station. Additionally, they can plug the vehicle in and walk away, rather than remaining with the vehicle as is required with gas/diesel. This may leave them with more time to do their job, ultimately helping your bottom line.

Vehicle chargers may require power infrastructure upgrades.
It's important to work directly with the utility and a qualified engineer to accurately assess your power needs and to develop a smart fleet charging plan for your business.

Electric vehicle fleets cost less to operate and maintain.
Fueling with electricity is generally less expensive than gasoline or diesel and EVs are more efficient than conventional vehicles. Electric prices are also much more stable than gasoline or diesel prices. On a national average, it costs less than half as much to travel the same distance in an EV than a conventional vehicle.

Electric vehicles are much simpler systems to maintain in comparison to internal combustion engines.
There are about 20 moving parts in an EV drivetrain, compared to 2000 in a combustion vehicle. With less moving parts to maintain, EV fleets save you money and time on replacement and service costs.

Change management requirements for in-house maintenance teams.
Although EVs do have many things in common with their internal combustion engine relatives, fleet conversion does require consideration for skill transition and equipment acquisition for in-house maintenance teams. We recommend working closely with vehicle manufacturers, including considering performance warranties.

Battery life is longer and range continues to grow.
Today, EV batteries are warrantied for a minimum of 8 years or 100,000 miles, with others being 10 years and 150,000 miles, or even lifetime with unlimited miles for some use cases. The failure rate of electric vehicle batteries is extremely low. The cost of replacement has dropped significantly over the last 5 years and innovations in battery technology continue to point to lower costs and higher performance.

Fleet electrification begins with your charging infrastructure.

Types of Chargers



Charging EVs requires plugging into a charger connected to the electric grid, also called electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). There are three major categories of chargers, based on the amount of power the charger can provide:

•   Level 1 (L1) Charging
If your fleet consists of Class 1 through Class 3 vehicles with an average daily travel range of 60 or 40 miles, you may only need Level 1 charging. Level 1 charging can be plugged into a standard 120 V outlet, and may only require vehicle charging a couple of times each week. A full charge may take up to 24 hours with level 1 120 V charging. Level 1 is most often used in home applications, but is sometimes used at workplaces and is a nice option to have if all your Level 2 equipment is use.

•   Level 2 (L2) Charging
The most prevalent commercial charging application is through Level 2 chargers. Level 2 chargers are both cost-effective and can be installed virtually anywhere with 240 V power. Systems range in size and complexity from single phase units costing less than $500 to central units with 2-4 charging plugs on each bollard with card/phone access, managed scheduling services, fee collection, and other integrated services which can cost upwards of $5,000. Level 2 charging ranges from around 6-23kW though it’s important to note that not all vehicles can accept higher charging rates.

•   DC Fast-Charging (DCFC)
For larger vehicles and larger batteries, or when more rapid fueling is needed, direct-current fast charging (DCFC) is a common commercial charging application. Direct current fast chargers, sometimes referred to as a Level 3 DC charging, uses a 3-phase 480 V AC electric circuit, but delivers direct current (DC) to the vehicles. DC Fast-Charging can deliver an 80 percent battery charge or 60 to 100 miles of range for most EV models in about 20-30 minutes of charging. This format is used in public charging stations, especially along heavy-traffic corridors. DCFC chargers currently range from 15-350kW; however not all vehicles can accept higher rates, with 50kW being the standard minimum across all vehicles.

A typical DCFC charger can cost $40-75K, on average; however, a new class of 20-25kW DCFC units is emerging at <$10K.

Be sure to consult with an electrician and/or your utility as you are developing your charging plans.

Review EV Charging Equipment
Review Public Charging Locations


Charge Management

•   Charge Management Software
Many providers offer end-to-end software to manage EV charging sites, stations, chargers and connectors. At minimum, it is important to select a charging solution that empowers you to program charging times that will take advantage of available time of use rate programs and to spread out your energy demand profile to avoid charges and unnecessary equipment upgrades.

•   Managed Charging or Time-of-Use (TOU) Charging
Managed charging allows you or your utility to remotely manage charging to better correspond to the needs of the grid, much like traditional demand response programs. If your fleet can charge at a home or depot station overnight, you can fuel at the least expensive rates and have a fully-charged vehicle every day.


Charging Next Steps

Engage with your local utility early-on in planning.
Significant utility service infrastructure changes may be required and need to be planned and completed in advance of the vehicle and charger delivery. Make sure to engage with your local utility early on in the planning process.






Disclaimer
These facts are provided by ChooseEV. Some numbers and statistics in this content may be estimates and subject to interpretation. Many factors must be taken into account to determine the total cost of ownership of EV and traditional gas-powered vehicles. This information is provided for a general understanding of EV concepts and opportunities. Customers should review information from EV manufacturers before making a purchase decision.