A free guide that could help last-mile fleets avoid delays to their electrification plans is now out from Mer.

Mer says last-mile fleets face conflicts between ambitious electrification goals and challenges around power availability

The EV charging infrastructure specialist Mer says its dialogues with delivery fleets shows firms face conflicts between ambitious electrification goals and challenges around power availability.

While many businesses are focused on whether existing vehicle fleets can be switched to EVs, they’re omitting to factor in the challenges of charging them all.

Its new guide could help tackle this, helping last-mile logistics managers properly understand the process and ensure that their fleet electrification plans don’t get stuck in a bottleneck.

Natasha Fry, head of strategic accounts at Mer and co-author of the guide, said: “Delivery fleet managers are very data-driven when it comes to identifying which vehicles can be electrified and the best way to optimise those assets. However, they need to start taking the same analytical approach to the charging infrastructure and planning for how vehicles will be charged, how much power it’ll require and establishing where that power comes from.

“Final-mile fleets are among those driving electrification and many have set ambitious goals to go even further. But without a true understanding of the power availability at each depot, and the cost implications of upgrading those grid connections, their rollouts of EVs risk being delayed while budgets are revised upwards.”

The free guide covers the importance of including each depot’s energy capacity as a metric when setting fleet electrification targets. It also explains how to calculate power availability and the solutions to overcoming grid limitations.

Other steps covered in the guide include:

• Identifying whether fast or rapid chargers will best suit a last-mile operator’s needs
• Managing the procurement process
• Getting installation right first time
• How to minimise charger downtime for mission-critical EVs

Mer recommends site surveys at every depot to properly understand the implications of corporate electrification objectives on each site.

“Upgrading your grid connection comes at a price and takes time,” added Fry. “But understanding that in the early stages means you go into it with your eyes open. Some last-mile logistics operators will be prepared to increase budgets to meet existing targets, while others might prefer to take a more phased approach.

“To run an effective last-mile logistics business, data is king. Being armed with the right information on EV charging will ensure you make evidence-based decisions on electrification, rather than make costly mistakes.”

To download Mer’s ‘Delivering on Your EV Goals: A guide to EV charging for last-mile logistics operators’ for free, please click here.