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Plan Your Depot Charging Right: EV Fleet Charging Infrastructure Decisions That Shape the Next 20 Years
- John Ford
- 6 days ago
- 9 min read
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
You've purchased your first electric truck. Maybe two. Now you just need to install a charger, right?
Picture this: A logistics manager buys one 60kW charger for R185,000. Asks the warehouse electrician for an installation quote. Gets back R350,000. For installation alone. "The installation costs more than double the charger?"
Calling it "installing a charger" understates what's happening. You're making permanent electrical decisions that will shape your facility for 20 years. The question isn't whether you'll add more chargers. It's when.
A note on the figures used throughout this post about EV fleet charging infrastructure: all costs, cable sizes, and specifications are illustrative examples to show the principle at work. Your actual numbers will vary based on your site, run lengths, local labour rates, and specific requirements. Use them as a planning reference, not a quote.
The Starting Small Trap
Most fleet managers begin with one or two electric vehicles. The thinking goes: "We'll start small, prove the concept, then expand."
That's reasonable. The problem shows up six months later.
You install the minimum infrastructure for those first two trucks, the trial succeeds, and you order four more EVs.
Now you need to:
Cut through the same concrete again
Trench new routes because cables are too small to add capacity
Upgrade your electrical panel because it wasn't sized for growth
Reposition chargers because your two-truck layout doesn't work for six
Total reinstallation cost: R250,000–R400,000. More than you spent on the original installation.
The real choice: Spend ~20% more on the first installation to build expansion capability, or spend ~150% more redoing everything in 18 months.
The Three Permanent Decisions in Your First EV Fleet Charging Infrastructure Installation
1) Civil Work: This Concrete Gets Cut Once
That first charger requires underground cables from your distribution board to the charging location. This means:
Cutting concrete with diamond saws (R250–R350 per linear metre)
Trenching 600mm deep through your yard
Laying armoured cables in protective conduit
Restoring concrete surfaces
1–2 week project with partial yard access restrictions
Why this matters for one charger:
You install one charger near your current truck parking spot. Months later, you add three more trucks. They park on the opposite side of the yard (better operational flow, turns out).
Your options:
Run all trucks to the single charger (operational bottleneck)
Cut concrete and trench again (R70,000–R100,000 per new charger location)
The smart play: When trenching for charger one, install conduit routing that anticipates where chargers 2–6 will eventually go.
Added cost: R35,000–R50,000 for pre-installed conduit and routing. Future savings: R200,000–R350,000.
What this looks like practically:
Install 100mm conduit even though 50mm suffices for one charger
Run conduit to multiple zones where trucks might park
Leave pull ropes in unused conduit sections
Install junction boxes at potential future charger locations
Building the pathway now means chargers 2–6 can be added without cutting concrete again.
2) Power Capacity: The Number That Doesn't Change
Your warehouse has a fixed electrical supply from the municipality. Let's say 400kW total.
Your existing operations use 280kW at peak (lights, cold storage, forklifts, offices).
Available for charging: 120kW.
One 60kW charger? Fine. But what happens when you have four trucks and want to charge simultaneously? That's 240kW. The math doesn't work.
What most fleet managers assume:
"I'll deal with that when I get to four trucks." More often, they simply aren't aware of the implications yet.
The problem:
Getting more power isn't quick or cheap. Municipal supply upgrades take 6–12 months and can cost R450,000–R1,000,000. Sometimes it's not even possible (local transformer at capacity).
What power assessment reveals:
Current facility load: 280kW peak
Available: 120kW
Realistic charging capacity: 4–5 trucks with smart load balancing
Without load balancing: 2 trucks at once
When you hit the ceiling, you have three paths:
Wait for a municipal upgrade (time + cost)
Use automatic load management to rotate power between chargers
Keep some diesel trucks (which undercuts your transition)
Smart power sharing + on-site energy
To make use of your current capacity until a municipal upgrade becomes necessary, do the following:
Let software share the available power between chargers so the most urgent vehicles charge first.
Add solar on the roof and a battery to shave peaks and keep charging during load-shedding.
This combination often avoids or delays a large grid upgrade and lowers your energy bill. Aeversa's managed charging service takes over the software and day-to-day monitoring, so your team isn't running the infrastructure after it's built.
3) Cable Sizing: The Permanent Capacity Limit
The cables buried in that first installation determine the maximum power you can ever deliver to that zone.
The undersizing trap:
Your electrician calculates cable requirements for one 60kW charger. Installs 25mm² cable (for a typical 40m run under standard installation conditions).
Perfect for one charger.
Twelve months later, you want to add two more chargers in that area. But 25mm² cables can't handle three 60kW chargers. It's at maximum capacity for one.
Three options:
Dig up the cable and replace it (R55,000–R75,000)
Install chargers elsewhere (operationally messy)
Limit those three trucks to slower charging (lost time)
What proper sizing looks like:
If 25mm² works for one charger, install 50mm² or 70mm².
Cost difference now: R5,000–R8,000 for a 40m run.
Replacement later: R55,000–R75,000.
Oversizing principle:
Size cables for 4–6 chargers in that zone, even if you're installing 1–2. Lay conduit that can take extra cables. Terminate at a junction point for branching later.
Building for the Fleet You'll Have
Hardware: Technology That Stays Relevant Beyond 2 Years
Your hardware choice sets the speed, reliability, and upgrade path of your depot. EV models are moving to higher power and different voltages fast. The truck you add in 6–12 months may need more amps (and different cable ratings) than today's. If your chargers, cables, and software can't handle that, you get slower charging, queues, and costly retrofits.
Many reading this post will be familiar with the science but if not, think of electricity like water in a pipe: volts are the pressure, amps are the flow, and kW is pressure multiplied by flow. A 400V vehicle needs more amps than an 800V vehicle for the same kW. More amps create more heat, which means cables must be thicker or liquid-cooled to stay safe. When the next vehicle needs more power, you want to add a module or swap a cable, not rebuild the site.
Pick hardware that supports 400V and 800V, uses CCS2, allows higher-amp or liquid-cooled cable upgrades, and runs on open-protocol (OCPP) software.
Connector types:
CCS2 (DC): Standard for most new commercial EVs in South Africa
Type 2 (AC): Fine for slow, overnight charging; not ideal for turn-around speed
Install CCS2 DC where time is tight. Use AC where dwell is long.
Power output:
AC (e.g., 22kW) works for overnight
DC fast charging (60–300kW) is better for multi-shift and quick turn-arounds
The decision:
If you expect more than 3–4 vehicles or need fast turn-arounds, start with DC. Upgrading from AC to DC later usually means redoing parts of the electrical backbone anyway.
What to specify now:
DC chargers that can serve both 400V and 800V vehicles
A clear upgrade path to higher-amp or liquid-cooled cables
Modular power cabinets (step up kW without replacing the cabinet)
Cable management (overhead booms or side feeds) so drivers plug in without strain
Open-protocol software (OCPP) so hardware upgrades are simple
A note on hardware ownership
Buying a charger outright ties up capital and leaves you holding the asset as technology moves on. With CaaS (Charging as a Service), you pay a monthly fee and Aeversa owns the hardware. When a better charger becomes available, or when your fleet moves to higher-power vehicles, you're not funding a replacement exercise out of your own budget.
The upgrade happens without a new capital spend. That's worth considering before you commit to an outright purchase, particularly if your fleet is still growing and your exact charging needs aren't fixed yet.
Cabling: Build the Network for Six, Install Chargers for Two
When trenching for that first charger, install conduit to 4–6 potential charging locations. Only install actual chargers at 1–2 locations initially.
What this costs:
Charger 1 with minimal installation: R450,000–R550,000
Charger 1 with expansion-ready infrastructure: R550,000–R650,000
Additional cost: ~R100,000 (≈20% premium)
These figures assume an outright hardware purchase. Under a CaaS model, the charger cost is replaced by a monthly fee, which reduces the day-one capex by roughly R185,000–R230,000 and shifts the hardware cost off your balance sheet entirely.
What this saves (per future charger):
Without pre-installed infrastructure: R450,000–R550,000
With pre-installed infrastructure: R280,000–R350,000
Savings per additional charger: R170,000–R200,000
After adding just two more chargers, you've recovered the initial premium. This is a pattern Aeversa has seen play out at depots across logistics and cold-chain operations. The upfront investment pays back before the third charger is installed.
Pre-install this with your first charger:
100mm conduit with pull ropes to the main DB
Branch conduit to 3–4 future charging zones
Weatherproof junction boxes at future points
Concrete pads/mounting points at future locations
Oversized main cable (size for 6 chargers even if installing 1)
Layout and Traffic Flow: Place Chargers Where Trucks Flow
Charging should speed up the day, not slow it down.
Drive-through bays for trucks (no reversing while plugged in)
Cable reach: plan for left/right port positions; no stretching or running under the vehicle
Protect gear with bollards, wheel stops, high-vis paint
Overhead cable booms or side feeds to avoid trip hazards
Staging bays so arrivals don't block chargers while waiting
Quick test: can a truck arrive, plug in, and leave in one smooth movement? If not, review your charger placement.
Facility Leases: Protecting a R600,000 Investment
If you lease your warehouse, that R600,000 infrastructure investment could become the landlord's property when you leave.
Critical lease provisions to include before installation:
Infrastructure expansion rights "Tenant may expand electrical infrastructure (DB modifications, cables, charging equipment) to support fleet growth; landlord consent not to be unreasonably withheld."
Supply upgrade provisions "Where municipal upgrades are required, tenant may proceed at tenant cost, retaining ownership of upgradeable components or receiving fair compensation at exit."
Removal and exit rights
"On termination, tenant may remove above-ground EV equipment. Sub-surface conduits/sleeves may remain unless landlord requests removal at landlord cost."
Also secure roof rights for solar and yard reservations for batteries/charger cabinets so you don't renegotiate later.
Why "Just Installing a Charger" Doesn't Work
Your warehouse electrician can install a charger. They'll do it safely and to code.
What they won't do (because it's not their scope):
Size cables for more chargers when you're installing one
Plan conduit routes for future expansion
Assess whole-site power limits and smart sharing options
Place the first charger where trucks 2–6 will park in the future
Install junction boxes and spare sleeves you're not using yet
What you need is one charger plus the invisible backbone that prevents a re-do later.
What to Do Before Installing That First Charger
Step 1: Assess for the future fleet
Total site power — can you run 6–8 chargers eventually?
Logical parking and charging zones for 6–8 trucks, beginning with where truck number 1 will actually park
Civil routes that avoid re-trenching later
Budget trade-off: minimal install vs expansion-ready backbone
Step 2: Decide before you buy
Choose CCS2 for commercial vehicles
Size electricals for six chargers even if installing one
Place charger number 1 where your future cluster will live
Step 3: Budget with the expansion premium
Use the Cabling cost summary above for the exact ranges. Plan a ±20% day-one premium to unlock lower per-charger costs later.
One Decision That Shapes the Rest
Starting with one or two EVs makes sense. Installing minimal infrastructure doesn't.
The first installation sets your expansion template. Done right, each later charger costs less because the civil work and electrical backbone are already in place. The ~20% day-one premium typically saves around 60% on every charger that follows.
A pattern runs through every scenario in this post. The fleet owner moves forward without complete information, makes a decision that seems reasonable at the time, then pays more to correct it a few months later. Each of those corrections was avoidable with the right data upfront.
Aeversa's fleet audit gives you that clarity before anything gets built. You get a clear picture of your site's actual power capacity, your operational layout, your realistic growth path, and exactly what infrastructure will work for your specific operation. The audit is what turns the scenarios in this post from cautionary examples into decisions you make once and get right.
Ready to plan your depot charging from the ground up?
Aeversa's fleet audit covers expansion capacity beyond your first charger, including power analysis, traffic flow layout, cable and civil future-proofing, and lease language to protect your spend.
Contact Aeversa:
Email: sales@aeversa.com
Phone: (+27) 67 403 0364
Fleet electrification made simple.
Written By:
 | John Henry Ford Sales Manager AEVERSA |
Author Bio:
John is the Sales Manager at Aeversa, where he specialises in fleet electrification and sustainable energy solutions. With a strong background in the EVSE and automotive industries, John has led initiatives that integrate electric vehicle charging infrastructure with renewable energy sources, such as solar power and battery storage.
His work focuses on enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs for logistics and distribution fleets. John is passionate about advancing clean transportation technologies and has been instrumental in projects that demonstrate the practical benefits of fleet electrification in South Africa.
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