The electrification of a company vehicle fleet is an excellent way to reduce CO2 emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future while simultaneously improving operational efficiency.
An electrical fleet offers multiple benefits in terms of fuel and maintenance costs. Concerning the difference between electrical and combustion, the first one can suppose a saving up to more than 2.900€ per year. In addition, EV maintenance has a lower cost, saving 40% in 5 years.
Besides these economic benefits, having an eFleet can be also a branding advantage, because it shows the company’s commitment to the environment. However, it requires careful planning and consideration. We will explore three essential points to help and guide you in this process.
1. Evaluate your environment and your needs
Before embarking on the electrification of your fleet you must evaluate your mobility needs. Those could be determined by the type of vehicle required or the route. That will determine the charging infrastructure.
In terms of the type of vehicle, different EVs have several charging requirements. For example, heavy vehicles such as trucks or buses may need DC fast-charging solutions, even during overnight stops. On the other hand, if your fleet consists of little vans that primarily stop at night, semi-fast AC chargers may be enough.
Vehicle type of use and the routes followed will be very important to design your infrastructure of charge. You need to know the autonomy of your EVs to determine whether they need to return to the charging station or if they can complete their routes without recharging. For vehicles that need to return for additional charging during the day, a combination of fast chargers and semi-fast chargers can be strategically deployed to prioritize those vehicles and ensure they can continue operating efficiently.
2. Charging management
Once you know what specific chargers you need you must administrate your installation in terms of usage and load. Management software tools will maximise efficiency and minimise the charging time.
As the fleet grows, the power required will grow accordingly. That is why it is highly recommended to install a Dymamic Load Management System with the aim of correctly managing the remaining power of the installation and balancing between the EV chargers in the most efficient way, according to our mobility needs, as well as with the goal of avoiding grid overloads.
Secondly, it is crucial to manage your charging network in an easy and intuitive way. Circontrol’s usage platform COSMOS centralizes all the collected and stored data in one dashboard, making easy to control the charging operations of your fleet.
3. The scalability of the installation
Technology and eMobility are constantly evolving. Once your installation is ready and fully operative you will need to improve it and update it according to your own evolution and changes in your business.
In terms of scalability, the DLM is your key to future-proofing. Thanks to this software solution you will be able to expand your infrastructure without high updating costs or prolonged installation times. With the DLM, you can optimize power distribution, accommodating more vehicles to charge simultaneously with the same power capacity.
Finally, not all companies have the staff to correctly maintain their infrastructure because electrification is not their core business. In that case, is important to assure your installation will always work properly by adding an after-sales full-service.
C/ Innovació, 3 Industrial Park Can Mitjans