Best Practice Guide Written by Robert Evans, chair fo the UK Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Association
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EV CHARGEPOINTS
Installing EV charge points Before installing electric vehicle charge points, there needs to be an understanding of what will be charged, when and where, as well as a consideration of any future plans. Robert Evans, chair of the UK Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Association, shares some best practice advice As an industry commentator I am often asked what fleets should consider when installing electric vehicle (EV) charge points. I may be asked in my capacity as CEO of Cenex (www.cenex.co.uk), based on my team’s track record of EV and charging infrastructure projects for fleets. These include research projects on the newer, more novel approaches such as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and inductive charging. However, my most common starting point is answering in my capacity as chair of the UK Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (UKEVSE) Association. The UKEVSE is the trade association that represents charge point providers and charge point network operators active in the UK market. Whether I am responding on behalf of Cenex or the UKEVSE, my priority is to provide helpful and informative input, delivered with independence and integrity.
lead by asking my own set of questions, beginning with, “What are you planning to charge and when; where; and to what present and future plan?” What are you planning to charge? The reason to ask the “what” question is that the type of EVs to be charged helps indicate the type of charger I should recommend. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all charge point. This is not a failing on the part of the charge point providers. Rather, it reflects the variety of approaches to EV charging that motor manufacturers apply to their products, which are influenced in part by the standards adopted in the national markets into which the manufacturers are selling their EVs. Some EVs can only be charged comparatively slowly, using 3, 7 or 22 kW chargers. Others can accept rapid charging from 50+kW power supplies, but may have either CHadeMO or CCS connectors. Most pure battery EVs being marketed today accept rapid charging, but many plug-in hybrid vehicles do not. The UKEVSE has a helpful EV-toCharge Point compatibility table on its website at ukevse.org.uk/charge-pointschargers/charge-point-compatibility-2.
The UKEVSE has designed guidance documents and website content to provide useful information and independent advice to those planning to deploy charging infrastructure. The UKEVSE procurement guide, currently being refreshed, is the main guidance document. It has been written in a style designed to make the reader to feel like they have an expert advisor by their side, helping prompt them to seek answers to important questions based on the specifics of their own operations. The guide can be accessed at ukevse.org.uk/ When and where? resources/procurement-guidance. The “when” and The key to this approach is that “where” questions worthwhile assistance and All EV help determine if good advice rely on first infrastru the fleet operator understanding the context for c t u r e plannin will rely primarily fleet manager planning and g should include on depot-based decision-making. I typically charging, or if it effectiv early and e consu will need publicly lt ation with th accessible e lo charging distribu cal tio infrastructure. networ n Narrowing k down to depotbased operations makes it necessary to consider both the type and location of the charger, as well as the supply of electrical power to the site. All procurement planning should include early and effective consultation with the local distribution network operator (DNO). Failure to effectively engage can result in project delays and expensive installs. The UKEVSE recently issued a guide developed jointly with Western Power Distribution to assist local authorities with DNO engagement. It also has wider applicability to fleets. (It is available by email enquiry at info@ukevse.org.uk.) The DNO is one of the four parties that need to be contacted when planning procurement of charge points. (See figure) As the DNO coordinates and facilitates the connection of charge points to the electricity supply network, it needs to understand how much electricity demand the charge points will require. This is to help ensure the local low and medium-voltage network has sufficient capacity and protection to prevent issues for other local electricity users.
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