A fleet moving from petrol to electric should spend its first year in four stages: assess routes and dwell times, pilot a small group of vehicles with depot charging, scale based on real data, and measure costs and uptime. Most light fleets can do the bulk of their charging overnight on AC at the depot, adding a compact DC unit for quick turnarounds. EVDANCE’s wallboxes, AC stations, compact DC charger and portable units cover each stage.
Key Takeaways
- Assess routes and depot capacity before buying.
- Pilot with AC depot charging and RFID per vehicle.
- Scale with load management and off-peak scheduling.
- Measure cost per mile and uptime to plan year two.
The First-Year Plan
| Quarter | Focus | Typical actions |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Assess | Analyse routes, daily mileage, dwell times, depot capacity |
| Q2 | Pilot | Deploy a few EVs with depot AC charging; train drivers |
| Q3 | Scale | Add chargers and vehicles based on pilot data; add load management |
| Q4 | Optimise | Review energy costs, uptime and driver feedback; plan year two |
Q1: Assess Before You Buy
Pull telematics or logbook data. Most vans and cars on local routes cover far less than their range each day, and park overnight for 10 hours or more. That points to AC depot charging. Check the depot’s electrical capacity early, because grid upgrades can take months. Read depot charging for vans and load calculation basics.
Q2: Pilot With the Right Hardware
| Need | EVDANCE option |
|---|---|
| Depot bays beside walls, Europe | EV-ACT3204PE 22 kW wallbox with RFID |
| Open depot yard | EV-AC03201T 22 kW wallboxes, one per bay |
| Quick turnaround between shifts | EV-RHDC30K-L compact DC |
| Drivers who take vans home, North America | EV-ACS4005T or EV-AC04001U portable |
Use RFID cards per vehicle or driver so energy can be allocated. OCPP lets the fleet manager see sessions and faults in one place.
Q3 and Q4: Scale and Measure
Add vehicles and chargers in batches using what the pilot showed. Introduce load management so charging fits the depot supply, and schedule charging for off-peak tariffs. Track energy per vehicle, cost per mile, charger uptime and any missed shifts. Compare cost per mile with the petrol vehicles you replaced, using current fuel prices; EIA reported U.S. regular gasoline at $4.331 per gallon in the week of October 12, 2026.
Driver Training
Drivers need to know how to plug in, what to do if a session fails, and how home charging is reimbursed if they take vehicles home. Involve a few experienced drivers in the pilot; their honest feedback shapes a smoother rollout for everyone. Short briefings and a one-page guide prevent most problems.
EVDANCE supports fleets with factory-direct supply, a 3-year standard warranty and commercial site planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should fleets start with DC fast chargers?
Usually not. Most light fleets park overnight, so AC depot charging covers most energy at lower cost.
How many vehicles should a pilot include?
Enough to cover typical routes, often a small group, so you gather real data before scaling.
How do fleets handle drivers who take vehicles home?
Many provide a home charger or portable unit and reimburse electricity using recorded energy.
Related Reading
- Fleet Depot Charging: How to Size AC Chargers for Vans and Light Commercial Vehicles
- Adding EV Chargers to a Building: Load Calculation Basics
- Is Charging an Electric Car Cheaper Than Gas?
- OCPP Explained: What Charge Point Operators Need From EV Charger Hardware
