For companies with an electric fleet, smart charging is not a nice-to-have but a must-have. The power grid is full, connections are limited, and exceedances of contracted capacity can cost thousands of euros in fines.
Smart charging solves these problems and saves costs. We explain how.
The problem: limited grid connection
Every company has agreed with the grid operator how much power (in kW) they may use at maximum: the contracted transport capacity (CTC).
Example: A company has 200 kW contracted. They have:
– Office: 50 kW
– Production: 100 kW
– Left for charging: 50 kW
If you install 10 charging stations of 11 kW, that’s 110 kW. That doesn’t fit. And the office and production can’t just be turned off.
What happens if you exceed?
Exceeding your CTC is expensive:
– Fines up to €10,000 per month
– Possible liability for damage to third parties
– Risk of disconnection in serious cases
So you really don’t want that.
Solution 1: Request more capacity
The logical solution seems: request more capacity. But:
– Waiting times of 2-10 years in many regions
– Costs of €10,000 to €100,000 for reinforcement
– Not even possible everywhere (grid is full)
Solution 2: Smart charging
With smart charging you can grow within your existing connection. How?
Load balancing
Charging stations are automatically adjusted so total consumption stays below the limit.
Example:
– Available: 50 kW
– 10 stations à 11 kW = 110 kW needed
– Smart charging: each station gets 5 kW
– Result: 10 stations work within 50 kW
Dynamic distribution
Stekker looks at real-time consumption:
– Is the office using a lot? → Charging stations turn down
– Is production off? → Charging stations get more power
– Are solar panels producing? → That power goes to the cars
Priority management
Not all cars need to be full at the same time:
– Urgent: delivery vans that leave in the morning → priority
– Less urgent: pool cars for next week → charge slower
– Guest charging: can wait until night
How much does it save?
Let’s calculate for a company with 20 cars that drive 30,000 km/year each:
Without smart charging:
– Need: 20 × 11 kW = 220 kW
– CTC reinforcement: €50,000
– Annual CTC costs: €5,000
– Random charging: average price €0.25/kWh
– Annual energy: 120,000 kWh × €0.25 = €30,000
With smart charging:
– Current CTC: 150 kW is sufficient
– No reinforcement needed: save €50,000
– Smart charging: average price €0.15/kWh
– Annual energy: 120,000 kWh × €0.15 = €18,000
Total savings first year: €62,000
Annual savings from year 2: €12,000
Additional benefits
Solar panels utilization
Charge cars with your own solar power during the day. Saves return costs and purchase costs.
Predictability
You know for sure that cars are ready when needed. No unpleasant surprises.
Reporting
Insight into who charged what, when and for how much. Essential for billing and administration.
Future-proof
Your charging plaza is ready for growth, without needing immediate grid reinforcement.
What does Stekker do?
Stekker charging plaza management offers:
– Real-time load balancing within your CTC
– Integration with your solar panels, battery or generator
– Priority management per car, driver or charging card
– Automatic adjustment to grid prices and congestion
– Dashboard with overview and reports
– API for integration with your fleet management
For whom is it interesting?
Smart charging for business is especially interesting for:
– Companies with >5 charging stations
– Limited grid connection
– Solar panels on site
– Fleet with different priorities
– Desire to grow without grid reinforcement
Payback time
Investment in Stekker charging plaza management:
– Software: from €50/month per charging station
– Possible hardware: €500-2,000 for sensors/integration
Payback time:
– Small business (5 stations): 1-2 years
– Medium business (20 stations): 6-12 months
– Large business (50+ stations): 3-6 months
After that: continuous savings every year.
Get started
Want to know what smart charging can mean for your company? Contact us for a free scan:
– What’s your current CTC?
– How many charging stations do you need?
– How much can you save?
Contact: [email protected] or go to stekker.com/
