FLEETDRIVE
What type of stations do you need ?
There are three different types of charging equipment that are identified by the amount of power they use , which ultimately determines how fast they charge the vehicles . For installing chargers at a depot , it ’ s very likely you ’ d be looking at Level 2 or 3 . If employees take vehicles home , you might choose Level 1 or subsidise a Level 2 station for their home .
Level 1 - powerpoint + EV cable
10-20km of range for every hour the vehicle is plugged in . It will top up , but not fully charge overnight .
Level 2 - AC charger 7kW
Usually up to 40km of charge for every hour plugged in . Top up daily use in an hour , and fully charge overnight .
Level 3 - DC charger 25kW +
150km or greater charge for every hour plugged in . These are roadside fast chargers , fully recharging some EVs in 20 minutes .
What about driver habits ?
How can you get your drivers to remember to plug in their EV when they return to the lot ? How do you make sure a driver isn ’ t leaving the depot with insufficient charge ? While these may seem like tough questions , they have simple answers : by managing telematics-based rules for electric vehicles .
Behaviours you could consider setting rules and alerts around :
• When an EV has low charge ,
• When it enters a charging zone with low charge ,
• When it exits a charging zone with low charge , and
• And when the vehicle is done charging
You might also consider identifying when a plugin hybrid electric vehicle ( PHEV ) is running on fuel only and not optimising its electric cost-savings potential , and establishing ‘ no-charge ’ time rules to eliminate charging during peak electricity rates .
Figure out what your priorities are , and see how rules can help simplify your day-to-day work .
CALLOUT : Beyond Clarity works with customers to set up rules and alerts to help you manage the new complexities of charging electric fleets .
A strategy is important when going electric
Fleet electrification can seem like a daunting task at a first glance , but all that is required is a solid strategy . The rules above , plus others available in a platform such as MyGeotab allow fleet managers to proactively manage their EVs to prevent issues and measure performance . As a fleet manager , you can use data to decide which EVs to procure , and then manage charging and driver behaviour in a cutting edge fleet .
ISSUE 30 AUGUST 2021 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU 21