Fleet Conversion: Keys to Coverage

According to the Inter­na­tional Energy Agency (IEA), a global forum of 29 indus­tri­al­ized countries that track and analyze energy trends, the deployment of public charging infra­struc­ture is critical to spur sustained growth of electric vehicle (EV) sales and widespread adoption. Currently, though, the IEA says most owners charge their EVs at home. 

“Although there are many more private chargers, public charging and the inter­op­er­abil­ity of its infra­struc­ture is key to enabling more widespread adoption of and more equitable access to EVs,” reads an IEA report called Trends in Electric Charging.

To that end, the U.S. intends to build a national network of at least 500,000 public chargers by 2030. That commitment is funded by the Bipartisan Infra­struc­ture Law, which invests $7.5 billion in EV charging alone. Referred to as the “backbone” of high-speed chargers, the proposed network will proliferate throughout major roads, freeways, and interstates across the U.S., with stations no less than every 50 miles. 

“Coverage is key,” says Michelle Stark, an electrical engineer, who has been designing and building electrical systems for almost 30 years. One of her more recent projects involves the elec­tri­fi­ca­tion of a fleet for a major utility in the northeast. 

Especially in rural areas, where power sources are normally scarce, embarking on an elec­tri­fi­ca­tion project can be daunting. While insuf­fi­cient public charging options could lead to customer dissat­is­fac­tion, excessive infra­struc­ture could become uneco­nom­i­cal. “We always need to find the appropriate balance,” says Stark. 

Adequate coverage alleviates range anxiety and supports the use of vehicles with smaller batteries, which in turn decreases expenses and the need for materials in high demand. Striking the right balance means maximizing use and ensuring the contentment of electric vehicle users.

Christopher Korzenko, an expert in energy management, has also worked on significant municipal fleet conversion projects. According to Korzenko, many local governments have the same anxieties about range and reliability as the average consumer. 

“Even though these are projects mandated by state legis­la­tures to achieve climate goals, we have to remain sensitive to the concerns of the munic­i­pal­i­ties where this infra­struc­ture is installed,” says Korzenko. 

Korzenko and Stark agree that planning is critical. If not managed properly, new EV infra­struc­ture could lead to a surge in peak demand. For that reason, communities should ensure that trans­mis­sion and distri­b­u­tion grids are appro­pri­ately sized and equipped. 

“With proper planning,” says Stark “evaluating the power consumption, and looking at the existing electrical infra­struc­ture we can assess the power situation for each case.” 

According to IEA, strategies to manage charging, like time-of-use tariffs and smart-charging, will become more necessary as EV deployment grows. “There are also alternative energy sources that will play a crucial role,” Stark says. “That includes renewables like solar, as well as corre­spond­ing battery energy storage systems.”