Why electric fleet operators are prioritizing smart charging and energy management

Prevents load peaks 

Load management proactively lowers expensive peak loads as well as the associated costs of grid connection and grid fees by intelligently balancing loads, temporally offsetting vehicles or charging them at lower capacities. Incorporating the cycle data, battery state of charge (SoC), energy requirements, desired pre-conditioning settings and other factors further allows fleet operators to precisely optimize the charging process for their operations. A charging management system is often required in situations where several buses charge on the same existing grid connection. 

Cost-optimized energy use 

Under some circumstances, there may be financial incentives to optimize the charging of a bus fleet beyond peak loads. This applies in places where the local utility offers a cheaper electricity rate at certain times of day or on sites that can generate their own electricity through resources, like solar, for a given time during the day. In these scenarios, fleet operators can save money by adjusting charging times. 

Automated load management (ALM)

Is there an especially tight margin on the available electrical power capacity for charging electric buses, or are there additional electrical consumers on site that require high capacities on a short-term basis? An automated load management system might be the solution, as it takes into account all the electricity consumers on site. For example, if a depot has a washing facility for vehicles, ALM would reduce charging power during washing to not overload the power connection. A charging and energy management system combined with a smart meter can provide information about the power draw in real-time and ensure the overall load does not exceed the maximum connected load of the grid connection. 

Monitoring and evaluation 

Monitoring gives fleet owners and operators an overview of charging processes and costs, providing certainty and flexibility in load management. Unexpected changes in operating procedures can quickly be assessed and managed to maximize the availability of the electric buses. Monitoring can be integrated into a depot management system using interfaces so that all information is available in one place.

By preventing fleets from charging at high-cost times, charging and energy management systems can reduce fleet operators’ bills by 30 to 50 percent annually. Plus, fleet operators feel peace-of-mind knowing their buses can stay charged for all scheduled routes.