ABM Q4 - Flipbook - Page 76
OPI N I O N
FLEET
Energy management
and electrification
→ Natasha Fry is CCO at Mer Fleet Services
rid capacity is becoming
a huge challenge for fleet
operators, and for the
network on which their
operations now rely. Fleet
managers who have already
installed EV charging will
know that securing a new
grid connection capable of
handling their electrified fleet is much
harder than it may have initially seemed.
However, there are ways to get the
most out of the connections a network
operator might provide.
G
promptly, slowing others that have more
time to spare before their next outing.
This is performed dynamically, with
continuous adjustment to manage the
total load profile of a site, protecting the
broader network and squeezing the most
out of a grid connection.
A depot that’s paid a handsome price
for a 1.5MW connection should aim to
get the most out of that connection.
Intelligent energy optimisation helps
fleet managers do exactly that –
without exceeding the site’s limits or
compromising vehicle availability.
Spikes don’t scale
Public or domestic charging can be
relatively linear for an individual: plug
in, wait, and return to a recharged
battery. At depot scale, however, simply
plugging in every vehicle and charging
each battery to full is neither efficient
nor practical. When multiple vehicles
begin charging simultaneously, demand
can rise sharply, creating a spiky profile
that can impact the whole site. That will
widen your grid connection and cost you
more in upgrade costs for capacity you’ll
use only at peak times.
It is also a real challenge for the wider
network. A large concentrated load from
an EV fleet can put additional pressure
on the local electricity network, and
reduce the capacity available to a site
and others around it.
Shifting demand
Shifting your demand profile has a direct
impact on your balance sheet. Being able
to move charging to off-peak or lowercost periods reduces energy spend, and
your optimised connection can limit the
need for expensive upgrades.
Battery energy storage can take this a
step further. By storing electricity when
it is cheaper or when demand is lower, a
battery can release power when charging
demand rises, helping fleets manage
peaks. This can also be a vital tool when
a fleet wants to expand its charging
estate but does not have the additional
capacity to do so.
The UK’s fleet transition will continue
to depend on the availability of the
right vehicles, and increasingly on how
intelligently depots can use the electricity
available to them. Fleet managers should
look to the Depot Charging Scheme,
which opens again in late October, when
making that initial step towards uniting
smarter charging, battery storage and
energy optimisation.
The scheme now covers the costs of
energy management infrastructure, in
addition to charging infrastructure and
civils. It’s a reassuring sign that we’re
moving closer to easing the pressure
of constrained networks and making
existing connections work harder for the
fleets that depend on them.
Making megawatts work
Simply adding more grid capacity isn’t
the answer when charge-point operators
have creative solutions available.
Intelligent energy optimisation is a
smarter way to manage fleet charging,
using multiple data sources, alongside
smart charging infrastructure, to
determine when and how quickly each
vehicle should charge.
It combines telematics and route
tracking, along with charger status, to
prioritise those vehicles that need range
76
AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
Q4 2026
