As fleet operators navigate the (at times, challenging) road to electrification, it can often feel like uncharted territory. The sticker price of electric trucks seems expensive, mastering the ins-and-outs of these new vehicles requires a learning curve, and trusting a new system of charging infrastructure can be daunting.

We get it. EverCharge takes a differentiated approach to fleet electrification to help you remove key barriers and build a future-proof charging ecosystem.

This blog will dive into five essential considerations for a successful fleet electrification strategy, challenging some of the current paradigms and processes around EV charging and presenting new ways to think about your fleet operations and how to best solve electrification-related business problems.

1. Maximize reliability and minimize IT security risk exposure.

The fleet industry’s success has been built on a reputation of consistency and reliability. The consequences of non-working charging stations can have significant ripple effects throughout a fleet’s business operations – making a dependable charging ecosystem non-negotiable.

EverCharge’s SmartPower technology, integrated directly into our charging stations, operates on a wireless mesh network that enables localized decision-making. That sounds complex, so let’s break down what it means – and explain how it offers a reliability-first architecture to combat connectivity challenges.

The local mesh network enables seamless, instantaneous communication between each station – meaning we don’t rely on technology offsite, i.e. potentially inconsistent cell service. And because of that, even if cell service goes down, fleet vehicles can keep charging. We store all the data on-site and send it when the service is back. Once set up, SmartPower is resilient to internet outages, cloud problems, and other disruptions. Moreover, by eliminating the need to connect to offsite technology, EverCharge takes a proactive approach to minimize the exposure of your corporate network to IT security risks. Your data remains protected within your own infrastructure, reducing vulnerability to external threats.

2. Optimize finite electrical infrastructure.

Most fleet facilities have limited electrical capacity, and can struggle to draw the power needed to charge an electric fleet.

EverCharge’s answer? SmartPower.

SmartPower dynamically allocates power throughout the entire charging ecosystem based on real-time usage. When any vehicle completes charging or decreases its charging rate, power allocated to that vehicle is released and the system automatically re-allocates power to other charging stations. SmartPower works to get the most vehicles charged when they are needed, freeing up capacity for the next vehicle that arrives. By using a building’s existing infrastructure, SmartPower reduces the need for costly and time-consuming electrical upgrades.

3. Think through the total cost of deployment – it’s not just the hardware cost.

When evaluating charging vendors, it’s tempting to just focus on the upfront hardware costs. However, it's crucial to factor in all the costs and considerations associated with the entire charging process from start to finish. This includes not only the hardware costs but also installation, energy consumption, and potential infrastructure upgrades, as well as ongoing maintenance and billing – part of the total cost of operations.

As a comprehensive charging solution provider, EverCharge handles the entire process from start to finish. From the initial site inspection and installation of the infrastructure to the regular maintenance and monitoring of the systems, we ensure that your electric fleet operations are seamless, cost-effective, and highly efficient. Our expertise doesn't stop at providing reliable hardware; we take a holistic approach to enable our fleet partners to make well-informed decisions that are both economically and operationally advantageous.

4. An end-to-end solution provider will make your life easier.

Instead of having to patch together services, struggle to integrate hardware with software, or work with incomplete data, EverCharge packages its comprehensive suite of services into four key pillars – EASY™, ROLLOUT™, UPTIME™, and GLANCE™. This means you have one company to call whenever you need something – avoiding the back-and-forth finger pointing that often comes with juggling multiple charging providers.

• EASY: EverCharge’s EASY service provides fleets with an onsite report of existing electrical infrastructure and capabilities.
• ROLL-OUT: EverCharge’s dedicated installation team oversees the ROLL-OUT service, providing turnkey deployment and management of the entire charging system installation process from start to finish.
• UPTIME: EverCharge’s UPTIME service handles all network management, support, billing, and system maintenance.
• GLANCE: EverCharge’s all-in-one charging management system, GLANCE, provides fleets with a customizable dashboard to monitor, manage, and analyze real-time and historical charging data. More on that in the next section.

5. Use real-time data to optimize your charging operations.

Think about all the ways you could optimize your business operations if you had real-time visibility into all your EV charging data. That’s exactly what GLANCE offers. GLANCE gives fleet operators access to highly valuable data analytics to understand both vehicle and user needs, enabling you to streamline and optimize your charging operations. And because we make everything – from hardware to software – there’s no need for integrations or expensive third-party hardware.

We’re dedicated to designing and implementing complete charging solutions that help ensure that your fleet spends more time on the road, make your customers happy, and help boost your bottom line. Our innovative approach to fleet electrification not only dismantles reliability and security concerns but also optimizes costs, crafting future-proof charging ecosystems that showcase the economic value of sustainable fleet operations.