• • • EV • • •


THE ROLE OF DC INFRASTRUCTURE IN COMMERCIAL EV ADOPTION


As a result, the design of DC charging BY NEIL BARTON,


VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES - EUROPE, CHARGEPOINT


T


he rapid growth of commercial vehicle electrification is changing the role of charging infrastructure.


For many years, success was mainly measured


by the number of charge points installed, with the focus firmly on expanding network coverage. Today, that conversation has expanded. As electric fleets become integral to day-to-day operations, the performance of the infrastructure supporting them has become just as important as its availability. For electrical engineers designing charging


systems, this represents a significant shift in priorities. Charging infrastructure is now becoming operationally critical, not just a convenience. A charger taken out of service can have consequences far beyond the charging bay, affecting vehicle availability and business productivity. Fleets’ increasing dependence on electrification, reliability, resilience, and scalability are defining the success of DC charging installations. In the UK, this change is being driven by the


growth in commercial EV adoption. Businesses operating delivery vehicles, public transport, service fleets, and logistics networks are investing in electrification at an unprecedented rate. Unlike a private driver, however, commercial operators often have tightly scheduled charging windows and vehicles that must remain in continuous service. Infrastructure failures can, therefore, translate directly into operational disruption, placing greater emphasis on engineering systems that maximise uptime.


infrastructure is evolving and delivering high charging power alone is no longer enough. Engineers are increasingly tasked with creating installations capable of maintaining performance under demanding operating conditions while remaining straightforward to maintain, service, and expand over time. This places greater importance on modular


system architecture. Rather than treating charging infrastructure as a fixed installation, modern DC systems are increasingly designed to grow alongside customer requirements. Additional power modules can be introduced as fleets expand, providing operators with greater flexibility as vehicle numbers and charging demands increase. Serviceability is an equally important engineering


consideration. Downtime can be minimised by systems being designed with, for example, remote monitoring capabilities and simplified maintenance procedures. In turn, this will allow operators to maintain high levels of charger availability throughout the charger’s lifecycle. Alongside these operational considerations,


engineers are also managing increasing complexity within the wider electrical network. Higher-power charging, on-site battery energy storage, and intelligent energy management are becoming increasingly common features of commercial installations. Successfully integrating these technologies is more about the system design than the charger selection. Grid capacity remains one of the biggest barriers to large-scale commercial electrification, making intelligent power management, energy storage, and flexible DC architecture critical considerations for future installations. The latest generation of DC charging platforms


reflects these changes. Rather than acting purely as charging equipment, new systems are increasingly being engineered as part of wider energy ecosystems. Solutions within ChargePoint’s


24 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JULY/AUGUST 2026


Express architecture combine high-power charging with intelligent energy management, enabling integration with battery storage, renewable generation, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) capability. This allows sites not only to charge vehicles efficiently, but also to make better use of available grid capacity while preparing for future energy demands. It has become clear to us that simply installing


more chargers does not guarantee operational success. Long-term performance depends on designing systems that prioritise availability, simplify maintenance, and can evolve alongside changing fleet requirements. These principles are now becoming increasingly relevant as the UK’s commercial charging network continues to expand. Ultimately, the engineering challenge extends


beyond supporting today’s fleets. Vehicle battery capacities will continue to increase, charging power requirements will grow, and greater interaction between charging infrastructure, energy storage, and the electricity grid will become standard practice. Infrastructure installed today must, therefore, be capable of accommodating tomorrow’s operational demands without requiring wholesale replacement. This represents an important change in mindset


– not just for electrical engineers, but for the industry as a whole. DC charging infrastructure should no longer be viewed as standalone equipment installed to satisfy immediate demand. Instead, it must be designed to enable commercial fleets to operate reliably and efficiently. The success of the UK’s transition will depend not only on installing more chargers, but on implementing charging infrastructure capable of balancing power demand, overcoming grid constraints, and supporting commercial operations for decades to come.


www.chargepoint.com electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


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