ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING BASICS
Whether your fleet opts for at-home charging, at work charging or public EV charging facilities, an understanding of charging systems is essential. Quanta Technology offers a few basics to consider:
• Level 1 Charging Systems that use a 120-volt standard wall outlet rated for 20 or 30 amps without requiring an infrastructure upgrade are typically used for residential, light-duty charging. Charge time for an EV with 80 kWH of battery capacity at 2.4 kW is 33 hours.
• Level 2 Charging Systems use a 240-volt, 30 to 80-amp outlet that may not require modification to the existing building electrical infrastructure, although for large arrays of Level 2 chargers upgrades will likely be needed. Charge time for an EV with 150 kWH of battery capacity at 19.2 kW is eight hours.
• Level 3 Charging Systems, or DC Fast Chargers, use a 480-volt three-phase circuit with varying amperages and likely require new utility service. Charger ratings range from 50 kW to 350 kW. Charge time for an EV with 200 kWH of battery capacity using a 100-kW charger is two hours.
Typical energy requirements for EVs are: Class 2 Pick-Up: 2 miles / kWh Class 5 Bucket Truck: 1.5 miles / kWh Class 8 Tractor-Trailer: 0.5 miles / kWh tion is dependent on external factors such as the delivery of chargers and vehicles, as well as interconnection timelines, the plan needs to include phases with defined triggers to move to the next phase.
“ There isn’ t a one-size fits all approach to developing an EV transition plan for your fleet,” Rackliffe stated.“ That equation also must account for any expected growth of the fleet and the impact that EVs will have on fleet expansion and operations.
“ There are consequences to consider if everything isn’ t taken into account,” Rackliffe added.“ Business disruption due to vehicle availability issues, high-energy consumption leading to higher operations costs and capital waste due to unnecessary infrastructure upgrades are among them. The impact on disruptions to business and customer relations also need consideration because stranded assets could undermine the reliability of the fleet’ s operation.”
The core driver for transitioning fleets to EVs is a financial analysis of TCO, total cost of ownership, Rackliffe noted.“ When you’ re comparing an electric vehicle fleet to an existing fleet of internal combustion engine vehicles, the cost of EVs plus the cost of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure must be offset by lower operating costs.
“ Many companies have announced sustainability goals and support for decarbonization, and there are state mandates for zero emission fleet vehicles that will impact new vehicle purchases,” Rackliffe continued.“ However, your plans need to cover initial implementation all the way to full transition.”
www. contractorshotline. com June 13, 2025 9