Fleets need charging availability data, not just charger numbers

The number of public EV chargers continues to grow, but new research shows why fleets also need to know whether infrastructure is actually available when vehicles arrive.

A Freedom of Information investigation found significant differences between council-operated networks. Hampshire reported 39 of its 157 public chargers unavailable, while Northumberland reported 97% uptime and Surrey kept downtime below 3%. Several councils could not provide meaningful reliability information.

This should not undermine confidence in public charging, which continues to expand rapidly. Instead, it highlights the importance of quality and visibility alongside quantity.

For fleets relying on public infrastructure, managers should identify critical charging locations, use live availability information and establish alternatives for routes where a failed charger could disrupt the working day.

Charging reliability can also be included when assessing EV suitability. A route with several dependable charging options presents a different operational risk from one dependent on a single location.

FleetWise has previously tracked rapid growth in public infrastructure. The next measure that matters increasingly to fleets is whether those chargers can be relied upon when needed.

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