Setting departure times and charge targets so every vehicle is ready

Smart charging saves money by spreading charging across the cheap overnight hours — but only if it knows the one thing that matters: when each vehicle has to leave, and with how much charge. Get that information in and the system does the rest.

Tell the system the deadline

Every vehicle has a departure time and a required state of charge for its next duty. Feed those in and the software works backwards, making sure each vehicle hits its target before it’s needed. A van leaving at 6am with a long route gets prioritised over one leaving at 10am with a short one. The system schedules around the deadlines rather than charging blindly.

Let it fill the cheap hours

With deadlines known, the software has freedom to place the actual charging wherever power is cheapest — usually the small hours on a time-of-use tariff. Vehicles with long dwell windows are charged gently in the cheapest slots; vehicles with tight turnarounds are bumped up the queue. You get the lowest cost that still meets every deadline.

Keep the inputs current

The system is only as good as its information. When routes, shift patterns or vehicle assignments change, the departure times and targets need to follow. Many depots integrate this with their scheduling so it updates automatically; others set sensible defaults per bay. Either way, review it when operations change, and monitor uptime so a faulty charger is caught before it leaves a vehicle short.

Done well, this is what makes smart charging both cheaper and more reliable than plugging everything in and hoping — every vehicle ready, at the lowest possible cost.