Should my fleet charge with private or public charging?

Perhaps you’re thinking about switching to electric vehicles (EVs), but you wonder, “Is there enough charging to switch to an EV fleet?” This is the same for fleet operators and transitioners. With more than 43 billion electric miles driven in 2022—and counting—the growing number of EVs on the road has influenced both public and private charging availability.

But, to form an educated opinion, we have to look at the data, and both the routes and charging patterns of drivers—information that can do more for businesses and government fleet operators.

With more than 2.7 million public charging stations in the world today (136,000+ in the US in 2022), organisations are still pushing for more. However, private charging seems to be a solution for those with capital to invest in much larger fleet operations—on-site charging solutions and more informed, strategic energy distribution infrastructure. 

Fleets must ensure that they're ready for electrification and factor in the costs, insights, and operational requirements that they need to make EVs valuable for them. This means weighing up the potential pros and cons of public and private charging solutions, and determining a step forward using data to inform one of the most significant changes in their company’s history. 

The cost of private EV charging 

Currently, private charging is the most cost-effective solution for consumers, but is it suitable for fleet usage? The cost of installing a private charging network for small fleets like pool cars and rentals can be costly, despite the savings made later. This type of solution is often most impactful for logistics companies where on-site systems will be used at a consistent capacity. 

Also, when it comes to private charging, very few organisations wish to spend time on the operational aspects, such as maintenance and hardware upgrades. This brings with it further costs from charging providers to manage their infrastructure for them.

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Make a judgement call. Do you need private EV charging? 

Businesses should determine charging service capacity and utilisation to establish whether the extra cost, time and oversight will benefit the business—a form of sense-checking. 

It’s also worth noting that private, on-site charging solutions bring with them the potential for further revenue streams for a business—directly or indirectly. For example, a company can offer free EV charging to their customers, which will add value to their service and make them more desirable, however, don’t bank on this long-term as charging as an incentive is exhaustive with a continuous flow of new chargers. The main point here is building a new form of revenue. Companies these days look for ancillary revenue streams in various ways, and offering up a public charging spot on their unused land might just provide extra value or cover some of the costs involved in running their business. 

Alongside these cost savings or extra revenue, the US government offers the 30C Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit (Federal Tax Credit) of up to US$100,000 per charging station. This move brings charging to low-income, rural areas and incentivises businesses to offer charging solutions in order to meet the US target of 28 million public chargers.

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Public charging for small versus large fleets 

Public charging is generally more expensive per kilowatt than private charging and, as a solution, is more costly overall. But, business fleets and governments may have very little space for private charging and therefore depend on public solutions. 

Use of public charging often requires multiple accounts and charging cards with different operators, which may be the most inconvenient component of public charging—particularly for fleet managers attempting to keep track of consumption, spending, and other data. 

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A sustainable, cost-effective approach to public charging

More and more chargers are built every year, but how companies use them is what makes electrification sustainable. This can also be impacted by earlier choices, such as the cars or vans they buy, and even whether public charging is broad enough in their area.

When looking at hard-to-reach areas, private charging seems to be the more feasible option and will also play to the points mentioned—building chargers provide for the public also.

If you’re ready to electrify your fleet, then connect with fleet@thebluedot.co to learn how Bluedot can help you navigate your EV transition. Bluedot streamlines billing and payment for public and at-home charging, aggregating 80% of the nation’s chargers in a single app and tracking home charging sessions.

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