May 11, 2022
Four reasons why we created inrush
inrush is a containerized and portable charging infrastructure solution that accelerates EV fleet deployments
The announcement of bp pulse’s inrush containerized EV charging solution was met with excitement and questions from fleets looking for a solution to the many barriers to installing electric charging infrastructure.
We will soon be delivering the first inrush containers to long-time customer Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN). To celebrate this exciting milestone, we will spend the next several weeks answering all of your questions in a series of content highlighting inrush.
Tune in to learn about:
- What problems inrush solves for your fleet;
- How the portable charging containers are made;
- How ATN is using inrush to expand its fleet;
- How your fleet can use inrush to accelerate EV deployment timelines; and
- An upcoming new product announcement that furthers inrush’s capabilities.
To kick things off, I want to share why we created inrush. More specifically, the four problems we set out to solve.
1. Charging Infrastructure on Leased Land or Shared Property
Fleets going through the process of deploying EVs are often faced with challenges installing on-site electric charging infrastructure, especially if they don’t own the land, or they share property with other entities. Many fleet operators that are leasing land may only be able to guarantee they’ll be at the current location for three, five, or ten years. The landowner may be unwilling to allow the fleet to install permanent infrastructure, even though all parties hope that the lease will be extended.
Enter inrush: a portable, non-permanent EV charging station that is assembled on a shipping container offsite and dropped onto the property. All related switchgear is housed safely inside the container requiring minimal trenching and construction, meaning less impact on the property. This portability allows the fleet to get started on their electrification journey without the commitment to permanent infrastructure.
Additionally, if the fleet does move locations, they can take the portable charging station with them. This leaves minimal site restoration needs for the landowner and allows the fleet to retain their investment in the charging infrastructure. Overall, the portability and flexibility of inrush empowers fleets to accelerate their EV deployment plans without needing permanent charging upfront.
2. Expedited EV Deployments and Interim Charging Needs
Fleets may run into a variety of delays and mismatched timelines as they work towards deployment, and the last thing a fleet operator wants is a stranded asset in the form of a shiny new EV sitting on their lot with an inability to fuel up and work a shift. Thankfully, inrush can help resolve some of these issues.
For example, customers that have already procured their vehicles often learn after engaging with their utility that installing permanent infrastructure through the utility programs, can take a year or more to install. Others run into delays with site design, permitting, and other unforeseen issues. The fleet is then left without a way to charge their vehicles, sometimes for six months or more.
inrush, on the other hand, can be deployed within six months of the initial project start. Since the portable charging station is assembled offsite, it can be done in parallel to site upgrades, vehicle delivery, and more, cutting EV deployment timelines in half. This accelerated timeline allows fleets to go live while still finalizing their permanent charging plans.
3. Customizable and Easy to Scale
Most fleets begin with a limited number of EVs to test the technology and operations, scaling once they are comfortable and have the resources to add additional EVs. When going the route of permanent charging infrastructure, the fleet has two options: either build only what is needed currently, or build for the full ‘production scale’ of EVs to be added in the future. At bp pulse, we pride ourselves on ensuring our customers’ sites are future-proofed and ready for scale. However, we sometimes get brought into projects after the charging infrastructure has been installed and the fleets didn’t realize that they need to start the infrastructure process all over again to prepare for additional EVs, meaning a lot more time and money.
With inrush, fleets can start with one container and continue to add-on as needed, as they scale their EV fleet. Plus, each container can be customized to fit the right quantity and mix of charger types needed. For example, a fleet may have started with vehicles from one OEM that requires a medium power charger, and then they procure vehicles from a different OEM that works with a different charger. Or, as they scale, they need higher capacity fast chargers for vehicles that run multiple shifts. Bottom line: fleets need the flexibility to mix and match charger types with solutions that can easily scale to ensure their operations run smoothly.
4. Saving on Upfront Infrastructure Investment
The high upfront cost of permanent charging infrastructure can be a major barrier for fleets transitioning to EVs. There is high sticker shock, particularly for fleets that never needed private depot fueling for their fossil-fueled vehicles and instead relied on public-access fueling. With EVs, charging costs are minimized by shifting the fueling to off-peak electricity times when the vehicles are parked, which often requires private depot charging.
With inrush, the design, procurement, and installation can save a fleet up to 50% compared to the cost of conventional, permanent EV charging. And the savings don’t stop at installation. inrush is supported by bp pulse’s omega charge management system and hassle-free maintenance service, elevate, to ensure charging operations are optimized and cost-effective. By automating charging operations while keeping energy costs low, fleets typically see 30 to 40% less in energy costs than charging vehicles without omega.
With inrush, permanent charging infrastructure doesn’t need to be a barrier to EV deployment. bp pulse’s vision is to simplify charging operations so that fleet operators can focus on what they do best–delivering people, goods, or services to their communities–while also reducing their carbon footprint. inrush does just that.
