Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
In the earliest days of electric vehicles, fast chargers were the thing. Now it's all about slow chargers — at least for fleet operators.
Why it matters: Slower charging opens the field to a broader range of charging types and providers, including wireless charging startups — and, by cutting costs, might speed the shift to electric vehicles.
Catch up fast: You'd think fast chargers are what delivery companies or taxi fleets or construction contractors would want for their electric cars and vans.
- It's certainly what passenger drivers look for in public charging.
Yes, but: Those DC fast chargers are costly to install, often require pricey infrastructure upgrades, and can be expensive to run, as their huge draw of electricity incurs extra fees from local electric utilities.
What's happening: Companies with big fleets of cars and vans are investing in slower chargers, such as those at Level 2, which add 10-20 miles per hour instead of 180-240 miles per hour.
Be smart: As electric fleets grow big enough for vehicles to be rotated in and out of service, slower charging becomes more viable.
- One high-profile example: Amazon, which is rolling out thousands of Rivian electric vans. But the approach holds true for much smaller fleets, too.
What's next: The number of electric vehicles is expected to grow globally by as much as 40% each year. That means plenty more charging infrastructure will be needed for companies going electric with their fleets.
