EV charging starts with the parking spot
WORDS BY JET CHARGE
Q & A with Kristian Handberg, GM Future Business & Origination, JET Charge
With fuel prices fluctuating and sustainability targets tightening, many organisations are looking at electric vehicles as part of their fleet strategy. But while vehicle selection often gets the attention, charging infrastructure is where many electrification projects succeed or stall.
Speaking during a fleet electrification panel discussion, Kristian Handberg, General Manager of Future Business & Origination at JET Charge, shared practical insights on how fleets should approach EV charging.
What’ s the first thing fleets should consider when planning EV charging?
Start with where vehicles actually spend their time.
Most fleets already have predictable parking patterns. Vehicles sit overnight at depots, during the day at offices, or at employees’ homes. Those dwell times create natural opportunities for charging.
The goal is to take advantage of those longer windows. Charging vehicles while they are already parked is usually the most efficient and cost-effective approach, rather than relying heavily on fast charging infrastructure.
What role does depot charging play in fleet electrification?
Depot charging often becomes the backbone of an EV fleet.
If vehicles return to the same location regularly, installing chargers at that site allows
organisations to manage charging in a controlled and predictable way. It also allows infrastructure to scale gradually as more EVs enter the fleet.
Fast chargers can still play a role for vehicles with unpredictable schedules, but they’ re typically not the starting point.
How important is early planning with property owners?
It’ s critical, particularly for organisations operating from leased sites.
Installing EV chargers can involve electrical upgrades or infrastructure changes, and those requirements are much easier to manage when they’ re considered early in property negotiations.
Including EV charging provisions in tenancy agreements can prevent expensive upgrades later and make future fleet electrification far easier to deliver.
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