Designing a future-proofed commercial EV charger installation.

 

 

1.What type of charger do you need?

The first step is to assess the types and speeds of chargers your site needs. This entails determining whether slow (AC) or fast (DC) charging stations, or a combination of both, are necessary. Slow AC stations may work for employees who are on site all day or fleet vehicles that can charge all night. However, if you have vehicles that will need quick top ups, then faster DC stations might be more appropriate. Of course it’s possible to cater for different types of users and charging requirements, and once we’ve understood what you need your installation to achieve, we can recommend the most appropriate chargers. At this point we’ll also take into consideration your budget and your long-term EV infrastructure strategy, as this may well affect which chargers you install now.   

 

2. How many chargers will you need? 

How many chargers you install will depend on several factors including what the demand is, both now and in the future, so you can scale accordingly; and of course how much available power you have, physical space you and what your budget is. We can help you design an EV charging infrastructure that meets your current requirements, but can be scaled up as more of your fleet transitions to EVs.  

 

3. Will you need to upgrade your power supply? 

We will need to assess your existing power supply to understand how much electricity is available for charging, and also, when that power is available and how that relates to your charging requirements. We will assess all your options, including whether it’s possible to meet your charging requirements through load management, which optimises available capacity so that it is evenly distributed to all plugged-in EVs. You many need to upgrade to a more powerful electricity supply. Again, we can help you assess this and advise you based on your power supply and the number and types of charging stations you’re installing. 

 

4. Where will your chargers be installed? 

The location of your chargers is also a big consideration. If you want to minimise installation costs and disruption then your chargers need to be installed close to the electrical supply. This minimises the need to install long cable runs. In addition to this, however we’ll also help you determine the needs of the people using the chargers – whether that be highly visible for guests or perhaps less ‘front of house’ for people charging regularly such as staff car parks or depots.. Finally, we have a lot of flexibility when it comes to mounting the chargers, which typically will be either wall mounted or floor mounted – suiting a range of scenarios. We’ll take all of these factors into consideration when designing your optimum infrastructure solution. 

 

5. How will you monetise your chargers? 

Deciding on a monetization strategy may also be an important factor for you. You must determine whether you are going to offer free charging, monetize it, or adopt a hybrid approach. Exploring revenue-generating opportunities such as offering charging as a paid service or making stations available to the public can maximize returns on investment.  

 

6. What do you need from your software and charging management system? 

The software we offer can allow you to control access, set charging tariffs, monitor performance, , automate invoicing and billing, and get actionable insights based on charging behaviour. We can guide you through the options and decide what functionality you need your charging management system to deliver.  

 

We’d love to help get you on the road to a more sustainable future. With our nationwide team of in-house accredited installers and engineers, we are on hand to support you every step of the journey. Did you know that we can even provide  home charging for your fleet drivers; allowing you the convenience and piece of mind that all your charging needs are being managed by one trusted supplier. Get in touch with us today to kickstart your EV charging journey!