JEA: Infrastructure key to electrify vehicle fleets (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — Businesses looking to electrify their fleets need to first look to infrastructure, according to JEA experts who are presently working to grow the electric utility’s own fleet of electric vehicles.
“I think it’s something that kind of gets forgotten,” said Baley Brunell, JEA director of facilities and fleet services. “You’re like, ‘OK, we need electric vehicles, and then we need a charger.’
“But if you put X amount of chargers in, that also — there’s a power source that comes with that, and sometimes it … needs its own transformer to do that. So, that’s part of that infrastructure too, is making sure you have the transformer in place, that power supply to those chargers.”
She pointed out that if, for instance, Amazon came in and put in 50 chargers, those would need additional energy infrastructure to operate.
Part of the issue with infrastructure is knowing what level of charger to install. JEA’s New Kings Road facility has Level 2 chargers. They typically charge at 240 volts, putting out around 6 kilowatts and add around 12-32 miles of driving range for each hour charged, until the battery is full.
However, some Level 2 chargers are faster than others, with the publication Car and Driver reporting the fastest one on the market generates around 19.2 kilowatts. It’s necessary to properly match the vehicle in question to the right charging equipment.
Level 3 chargers are faster, putting out 50-350 kilowatts depending on the gear and can add 100-250 miles of range in 30-45 minutes. JEA Fleet Services Manager Justin Hightower explained that Level 3 chargers can result in a lower battery life, however, compared to Level 2 equipment.
Commercial JEA customers can participate in the utility’s fleet electrification program, which is meant to help businesses transition from gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles to battery powered ones, along with plug-in hybrids.
Customers looking to convert four vehicles or fewer can use JEA’s plan for those needing less assistance. An online calculator tool is available to help ballpark costs. For five or more vehicles, JEA staff will work with the business on costs, benefits and a timeline for conversion.
An important factor, Hightower said, is that businesses know what they’re getting and that workers who will be driving the vehicles and using the equipment know the differences in dealing with electric and traditional fuel-powered vehicles.
“Most haven’t had the experience of driving electric,” Hightower said. “There’s always range anxiety. When they hear they can only go 300 miles, they start to panic, but they don’t go anywhere near (that far) — they don’t even need it.”
Photo courtesy of Ryan Companies