EV charging infrastructure has fast become the way of the future for public fleets. There’s a new sense of urgency in municipal EV support, with an average of 997.5 charging stations per resident in the most EV-friendly metropolitan areas.
However, installing new EV charging stations is rarely easy. Over 45% of North American fleet managers are concerned about their lack of charging stations and missing design components needed to upgrade their fleet.
While there are challenges arising from implementing EV fleet charging plans, there are also solutions that can help fleet managers design more effective infrastructure.
Popular initiatives for fleet charging infrastructure
Major cities across North America are racing to build out their EV charging infrastructures. Today, the most popular initiatives for EV charging stations are:
- Attaching EV charging stations to streetlights: The city of Los Angeles is attaching EV chargers to streetlights to help renters gain access to convenient charging infrastructure.
- Installing curbside chargers: With the goal of installing charging stations at major city crossroads, Seattle wants to encourage EV adoption among travelers, tourists, and renters.
- Building neighborhood charging stations: The municipality of Denver has partnered with Hertz to install charging stations in busy urban neighborhoods.
- Going solar for public EV fleets: The city of San Diego is exploring solar charging for its public EV fleet, which currently contains more than 4,500 vehicles.
- Installing revenue-generating digital advertising and EV charging: In Hoboken, infrastructure providers like Volta are installing free public charging stations that display revenue-generating ad campaigns.
- Requiring charging stations in parking lots: The city requires new businesses and multifamily units to install charging stations in their parking lots.
Each of these ideas helps cities make progress toward EV adoption in their public fleets. However, they are not without their challenges for government decision-makers, including busy fleet managers.
Obstacles and solutions to EV fleet charging infrastructure
Obstacles are inevitable in the path of EV infrastructure development. Fortunately, plenty of solutions are available to help you navigate potential setbacks.
Let’s look at four major obstacles and solutions to developing EV fleet charging infrastructure, starting with one of the most difficult.
1. The pace of EV infrastructure development
Experts seem to announce new developments in EV infrastructure almost every month. This makes it difficult for public fleet managers to make informed decisions for their fleets and operators.
Solution: Staying on top of trends is a great way to avoid potential misplays for your fleet, especially with resources provided by agencies like Sourcewell.
2. Confusing or stringent legislation and policy
EV laws and legal guidelines are still in the earliest phases of development. Since many states and cities have different legislation surrounding design, cost, and implementation, developing the right charging infrastructure for your needs may seem like a legal nightmare.
Solution: Partnering with advisors, coaches, or third parties can help you make sense of the EV charging landscape, including vetted agencies like the Electrification Coalition.
3. Optimization of EV charging station locations
Successful EV charging stations are all about location. For example, installing charging stations in rural areas may offer equitable support to underserved populations. However, this may be to the detriment of urban populations that require more consistent or convenient access.
Solution: You can lean on utility companies, telematics, and internal task forces to identify economical locations for your charging stations. You can also plan more effective routes to determine the most convenient and accessible areas.
4. Access to more charging stations
It’s no secret that charging stations are expensive, especially for municipalities with limited budgets. It may be difficult to choose the most cost-effective provider or find a vendor offering all the features that you need.
Solution: You can rely on cooperative contracts to source charging stations quickly, efficiently, and cost effectively. The experts at Sourcewell offer competitively solicited contracts, so you can avoid traditional RFPs and save more on sustainability initiatives.
Build your EV fleet charging infrastructure with Sourcewell
The first and most foundational step in EV fleet charging infrastructure is building sustainable vendor relationships. If you’re looking for a no-strings-attached partnership with a nationally recognized organization, we invite you to partner with the knowledgeable team at Sourcewell.
Sourcewell is a government agency serving public organizations across North America. It can assist with:
The cooperative contracts for fleet vehicles are available to browse at any time.
Sourcewell awards contracts in electric vehicle supply equipment. These contracts assure that government entities can take the first step in creating the infrastructure to support green initiatives. See how Sourcewell can save you time and money while getting the fleet equipment that you need already on contract.
