Setting up fleet EV charging for logistics depot involves matching charger power and count to your vehicles’ duty cycles, securing enough grid capacity, and phasing the install so you don’t pay for infrastructure you won’t use yet. Get those three right and the rest follows.
Most logistics operators start with overnight depot charging because vans and trucks sit idle for hours between shifts. That idle time is your friend. It lets slower, cheaper AC chargers do the heavy lifting, with faster DC units held back for quick top-ups during the day.
This guide walks through how to plan a depot or workplace setup, what power you’ll actually need, and how to keep the first phase affordable while leaving room to scale as more of your fleet goes electric.
How Does Fleet EV Charging Work at a Logistics Depot?
Fleet EV charging at a depot centres on charging vehicles where they park overnight or between routes, using a mix of AC and DC chargers managed by software that balances load across the site. The goal is to have every vehicle ready for its next shift without overloading your electrical supply.
The setup has three moving parts working together.
- The chargers, sized to how long each vehicle sits and how much range it needs back.
- The grid connection, which caps how much power the whole site can draw at once.
- Load management software, which spreads charging across available hours so you never trip your supply.
For most depots, overnight charging on AC units covers the bulk of demand. You add DC fast chargers only where a vehicle turns around fast and can’t wait. This mix keeps costs down while still meeting real operational needs.
AC vs DC Chargers for Fleet Vehicles
AC chargers suit overnight depot charging where vehicles sit for hours, while DC fast chargers suit rapid top-ups during a shift. The right choice depends on how long your vehicles are parked, not on which is technically faster.
AC units are cheaper to buy and install, draw less power, and are perfect when a van has eight or more hours plugged in. DC units cost far more and pull heavy power, but they can add meaningful range in under an hour.
| Charger type | Typical use | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| AC (7kW to 22kW) | Overnight, long dwell | Vans and trucks parked all night |
| DC (50kW to 150kW+) | Mid-shift top-up | Fast turnaround vehicles |
A common logistics setup runs mostly AC chargers across the depot with a couple of DC units for exceptions. That way you charge the fleet cheaply overnight and keep fast charging in reserve for the odd vehicle that needs it.
You can read more about depot and workplace fleet charging options to match this to your vehicle mix.
What Power Supply Does a Fleet Charging Depot Need?
A fleet charging depot needs enough grid capacity to run all active chargers at once, or software that staggers charging so peak draw stays within your existing supply. Your existing connection is often the real limit, not the chargers themselves.
Ten 22kW AC chargers running together would demand 220kW. Many depots don’t have that headroom without a costly upgrade from the network operator that manages connections. Load management solves this by charging vehicles in sequence overnight rather than all at once.
Before you commit to charger numbers, work through these:
- Your current maximum import capacity from the meter.
- How many vehicles need charging on the same night.
- How many idle hours each vehicle has to charge in.
- Whether an existing on-site solar array can offset daytime demand.
An engineering-led survey should map your load profile before any hardware is specified. That’s where pairing chargers with a commercial solar and battery setup pays off, using generated power and stored energy to shave your peak draw and cut what you pull from the grid.
How Much Does Fleet EV Charging Cost to Install?
Fleet EV charging install costs for logistics vary widely by depot, driven mainly by charger count, charger type, and whether your grid connection needs upgrading. AC-heavy setups sit at the lower end, while DC fast chargers and grid upgrades push costs up sharply. Confirm figures with a site-specific quote.
The biggest cost swings come from a handful of factors.
- Grid connection upgrade, often the single largest line if your supply is maxed out.
- Charger hardware, with DC units costing many times more than AC.
- Civil and groundworks for cabling runs across a large yard.
- Load management and billing software for ongoing management.
Phasing keeps the first bill sensible. You install ductwork and cable capacity for the full future fleet up front, then add chargers in stages as more vehicles switch over. That avoids digging up the yard twice. Businesses can also claim the Accelerated Capital Allowance for energy-efficient equipment, a full first-year tax write-off that improves the numbers.
How to Plan a Phased Fleet Charging Rollout
The way to plan a phased rollout is to install full-capacity infrastructure once, then add chargers in stages that track your vehicle replacement schedule. This spreads spend, avoids repeat groundworks, and keeps you from paying for chargers before you have the vehicles to use them.
What Should Phase One Cover?
Phase one should lay all the underground cabling and ducting for the full future site, plus enough chargers for the vehicles you’re electrifying first. The costly civil works happen once, and you plug in more chargers later without disruption.
How Do You Time Later Phases?
Time later phases to your fleet replacement cycle, adding chargers as diesel vehicles reach end of life and get swapped for electric. Ireland’s target is a 30% electric private fleet by 2030, so a staged plan keeps you ahead without over-committing early.
A practical rollout tends to run like this:
- Survey the site and load profile, then design for the full fleet.
- Install all cabling, ducting and the switchboard in one dig.
- Fit chargers for your first wave of electric vehicles.
- Add chargers in later phases as more vehicles convert.
Should You Pair Fleet Charging With Solar and Battery?
Pairing fleet charging with commercial solar and battery storage cuts your grid demand, lowers running costs, and shields you from rising electricity prices. With business electricity around €0.23/kWh, charging from your own generation makes a real dent in fleet fuelling costs.
For logistics sites with large flat roofs, the roof space is already there. A distribution centre roof can carry a sizeable array, and combining it with charging is a natural fit, as shown in projects like the Domino’s Pizza logistics install. The full stack of solar, storage and charging under one engineering team keeps the design coherent.
To get accurate charger numbers, grid requirements and a phased cost plan for your depot, book a free site survey with our team and we’ll map it to your fleet and shift patterns.
