BUSINESS ISSUES
Navigating the Challenges of Sustainable Transportation
For Quanta Services, Successful Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Development Results From a Carefully Planned and Executed Process
By Seth Skydel
Electrifying your fleet is a process,” said Gary Rackliffe, senior vice president of energy technology at Quanta Technology.“ At Quanta Services, which operates one of the largest commercial fleets in the country, operating units are evaluating their fleet transitions. This process is starting with pick-ups and bucket trucks based on the availability of vehicles. Our role at Quanta Technology is to address fleet transition planning for Quanta Services and our partners in the industry.”
The first step, according to Rackliffe, is to align electric vehicles( EV) fleet use cases with the charging infrastructure. The use cases define the types of vehicles, miles driven, daily driving patterns, charging windows or dwell times and overall energy requirements.“ Select the proper charging method by considering existing and future fleet needs for EVs, expected fleet growth, the charging model and type and the lifecycle and maintenance of the charging infrastructure for the EV fleet,” he said.“ It’ s also essential to determine requirements for fleet baseline energy needs, on-site energy management and electrical and utility upgrades.”
Interconnection requirements to meet capacity and peak demand should be considered at this point. An assessment of the site helps size EV charging stations and plan network capacity to meet operational needs. It is also important to consider energy optimization and vehicle availability for determining smart charging and energy management systems.
The second step in the process is the design and build stage. Structural, foundation and electrical design, as well as EV charging infrastructure plans are developed and then a preliminary site plan from survey information and selected equipment is created. Activities to account for include distribution network upgrades, installation of transformers, meters and panels, utility interconnection, site trenching and conduit and cable installation.
“ The third step is to test and commission EV chargers with tools known as vehicle emulators,” Rackliffe said.“ For independent validation of a charger’ s operation, don’ t risk damaging your vehicles by using them to test chargers. Employ plug and play practices that allow for repeatability of tests including testing chargers up to their maximum power rating.”
Other aspects of the testing process that Rackliffe recommends:
• Site and energy management for meeting demand peaks through a response capability including battery energy storage, and to deliver energy to meet fleet vehicle state-of-charge requirements.
• Integration of operational optimization software with vehicle telematics, scheduling and maintenance management systems to manage location and
For independent validation of a charger’ s operation, don’ t risk damaging your vehicles by using them to test chargers.
26 l March-April 2025