Government EV fleets are expanding to include charging infrastructure for larger vehicles

Local governments are increasingly looking to incorporate electric vehicles (EVs) into their fleets, says Suncheth Bhat, chief business officer at EV Realty, a firm that helps companies and other organizations across industries optimize their EV fleet operations. The company develops shared private fleet charging hubs that service multiple commercial fleets in secure, high-power locations with dedicated charging access and availability.

Bhat says he sees encouraging trends in battery and EV vehicle costs in the national media on a daily basis. “We are also seeing growing attention on infrastructure deployment challenges, constraints in the electrical grid, and creative solutions to these issues. On the policy front, state-level efforts such as the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard program at the California Air Resources Board (CARB) are helping to make the numbers work for fleet electrification.”

He believes a deep understanding of policies like Advanced Clean Fleets, Advanced Clean Trucks, and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard in California can pave the way for emissions reduction in California. He also thinks the Golden State’s fuel requirements can be used as a model for other states.

Bhat says fleet technology is advancing in the public sector. “There certainly will be both local and state government expansion of EV fleets in the future. Early adopter fleets are scaling up and more are starting to dive in as EVs become more practical in different vehicle classes.”

Fleets are electrifying larger vehicles, Bhat says. “We are also seeing an increase in charging infrastructure deployment for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and related vehicles (MHDV). This is the next frontier for fleet electrification.”

Bhat is optimistic about fleet electrification. “The momentum is heading in the right direction towards EV fleet expansion, especially once truck-charging hubs are up and running.”

In April, Bhat served on a White House Roundtable on Zero-Emission Freight Infrastructure. Freight industry executives took part in an all-day session, including commercial truck fleet managers, port directors, utility executives and local government officials. A White House data sheet states that the roundtable focused on ways to begin “supercharging the buildout of the infrastructure necessary to make a zero-emissions freight ecosystem a reality in the United States.”

Bhat notes that local governments are placing EVs in a variety of applications and departments, including municipal utilities, building departments, code enforcement, health agencies and police. He cautions, however, that there’s still a need to match the vehicle to the use case, and not every vehicle in the municipal fleet can be electric today.

He sees a lot of growth potential in local government fleets. “EVs can work for many different applications, particularly those with shorter and more predictable duty cycles. A good charging network can open up even more opportunities.”

When cities and county managers are thinking of adding EVs to their fleets, Bhat urges them to investigate the charging infrastructure and where the grid already has power. “Not all fleet managers will be willing or able to deploy charging on-site, but off-site depots can provide a solution. The key is strategically building charging hubs that can service fleets quickly and efficiently while limiting the need to upgrade the grid. When adding EVs to a fleet, cities and counties must check these significant boxes.” He adds: “It is essential to consider proximity to transportation hubs, ports and densely populated areas with high transport activity.”

Bhat says it is crucial that public sector fleet managers have the right EV charging infrastructure in place when they acquire MHDVs. “Medium- and heavy-duty units require a lot of power and cannot simply rely on existing passenger vehicle charging. EV Realty believes that strategically located infrastructure to maximize efficiency and power supply from the grid is paramount to successfully transitioning to EV MHD truck fleets. Our company’s approach to charging depot deployment is location-first, coupled with efficient software and technology, which establishes the proper home base for fleets to succeed. This approach saves both time and money, which any fleet manager can surely appreciate.”

Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].