Today, the electrification of fleets is not only a technological challenge, but also a cultural one.
In Northern Europe, long-term planning is a common practice, while in the South, particularly in Spain, clients tend to look for immediate solutions.
“We find companies that buy electric trucks and, when they arrive, they do not have adequate charging infrastructure. This is due to a lack of foresight,” explains Guillermo López Arias, Head of Sales Kempower Iberia & LATAM.
Here the firm establishes a clear strategy that allows for the execution of a 100 per cent effective final project.
But how do they do it?
Scalability, smart charging and reduced operational costs (OPEX) are the starting point for this exclusive conversation between Kempower and Mobility Portal España.
Firstly, the firm’s executive focuses on OPEX, an essential factor that is not usually given the importance it deserves.
The first queries from logistics operators or fleet owners are usually related to the search for immediate solutions to practical and specific cases:
“How do I incorporate 5 electric trucks into my operations?” or “We have acquired a new vehicle and we need to be able to recharge it.”
In response to this, Kempower offers charging solutions that not only consider the initial cost of the investment, but also the long-term operating cost.
This is where optimal infrastructure design comes into play.
Kempower helps its clients to focus on the load in warehouses or depots, which helps them avoid falling into solutions that are only temporary.
Scalability is also integrated into the design of the charging infrastructure, which leads to taking into account aspects such as:
– The power available to increase the number of chargers and the fleet.
– The type of location: rented or owned.
– The time that vehicles stop in the same place to recharge.
– The route of the vehicles.
– The possibility of supplying charging stations with renewable energy and the availability of energy storage systems.
“We suggest not focusing on a short-term solution, but rather considering the entire useful life of the product during the years that it will be used,” emphasizes Guillermo Lopez.
And he adds:
“Well-made decisions about charging infrastructure consider operational efficiency and long-term savings, especially in terms of energy costs.”
However, regulations and power availability are also significant challenges that greatly influence these projects.
Lack of access to the grid and delays in the installation of charging infrastructure due to limited power availability are serious problems in Spain, which have been the focus of much debate in the electromobility sector.
“This has led some operators to reduce their investment in favour of other countries,” explained López Arias.
To improve this situation, Kempower emphasizes the need to improve the charging point map and ensure a more efficient power distribution.
Furthermore, operators’ lack of experience and knowledge of the sector and the resulting uncertainty about how mobility and electric transport will develop represents an additional barrier.
“The Megawatt Charging System (MCS), for example, is one of the most notable technological innovations for recharging heavy vehicles and we will continue to develop it in the coming years,” says Guillermo.
“However, the solutions that were and still are available on the market are all that operators need to make the switch to electric mobility,” he says.
What is happening with MCS is similar to the rush we saw regarding electric cars and the desire to charge in the shortest time possible.
“But there are other alternatives that today respond to the needs demanded by the transition to 100 per cent electric fleets,” stresses Kempower’s head of sales for Iberia & LATAM.
A clear example of this is the Kempower high-power CCS2 Mega Satellite.
This is a charger designed specifically for electric trucks and other heavy vehicles.
It has a maximum power of 560 kW, a current of 700 A and a voltage range of 200 – 1,250 VDC, which makes it a product capable of providing the necessary energy in situations where the recharging time of vehicles is more limited.
“This is a robust and scalable solution that can handle fast charging of electric trucks, significantly reducing downtime,” López Arias said.
Kempower perspective: smart charging, the ideal solution for logistics fleet management
Choosing a charging infrastructure that allows for dynamic power management (or smart charging) plays a key role in optimising the management and profitability of an installation with several charging points.
“Its implementation, although it may seem more expensive initially, results in significant savings in the long term. Our dynamic management system allows us to optimize the use of power, taking advantage of, for example, photovoltaic energy,” said López Arias.
This not only reduces energy costs, but also improves operational efficiency.
But what does this solution consist of?
Kempower ChargEye is a charging management software for electric vehicle chargers.
It was initially developed together with Kempower charging hardware and aims to simplify the start-up process for charging operators and service providers.
It also lays the foundation for smooth EV charging operations by making charging sessions more efficient for both operators and drivers.
In the Nordic countries, this type of management software is already highly valued, but this awareness is still lacking in southern Europe.
In response to this, Guillermo López admits that there is a certain amount of “ignorance, due to the breadth of platforms that sell many things and whose performance may or may not be convenient.”
Furthermore, the costs associated with the initial investment when planning an electrification project mean that these types of systems are not considered a priority, in the belief that this way savings can be achieved.
“However, the data we have indicates that its use can generate annual savings of up to 50,000 euros per connector,” Guillermo concludes.
By following these suggestions, Kempower is convinced that it is possible to have a 100 per cent electric fleet, managed effectively and therefore more profitable. And that, in the future, it will allow for expansions that do not cause headaches.
