Assessing charging networks for field staff: Compare routes, not network size

A charging network suits your field team when drivers can recharge enough energy in time along their actual routes and have a reachable alternative if something goes wrong. The total number of charge points is only an initial guide. Before choosing a provider, check specific stations, access conditions, charging windows and card acceptance. A small sample of routes based on real working days tells you more than a large number in a sales presentation.

Build a representative sample of routes

Collect recurring travel patterns from your field team: home region or workplace starting point, customer areas, appointment times, daily mileage and return journeys. Anonymised regions and typical routes are enough for the initial assessment. Not every individual customer visit needs to appear in the provider's documents.

Choose different use cases. Include short regional days, long motorway legs, rural areas and overnight trips. Also consider drivers without reliable charging at home. For them, public charging is part of their daily energy supply, not just a supplement for occasional long journeys.

Alongside a normal week, include at least one demanding but realistic day. That might involve an extra appointment, a later return journey or a vehicle with a smaller usable charging window. An extreme case that exists only in theory should not determine the entire selection. A regularly difficult Friday, however, should not disappear behind favourable averages.

Our article on charging strategy for EV fleets helps you organise vehicle groups and their charging mix in advance. The network assessment builds on these groups.

Define when a charging stop is operationally usable

A station only counts as a suitable option if it meets several conditions at once. It is within the permitted detour corridor, accessible at the planned time, compatible with the vehicle and access method, and able to supply the required energy within the available time window.

Set acceptable detours according to each role. An extra ten-minute drive may be impractical between two tightly scheduled customer appointments, while being acceptable on an already flexible overnight trip. The limit is an operational decision, not a universal figure.

Use maps for shortlisting and check access separately

For Germany, the Federal Network Agency provides a charging station map and downloadable register data. These cover published charge points that have completed the notification procedure. They provide a reliable basis for geographical orientation. However, they do not guarantee that your corporate card will be accepted there or that a connector will be free when you arrive.

Providers also distinguish between an overview and actual use: the Mer Charging Map refers users to the relevant apps for precise availability and operational status. In your assessment, therefore, distinguish between “location exists”, “access confirmed” and “practically tested for the intended use”.

Ask each candidate to check your station selection against the specific offer. Similar product names or a private card from the same company are not sufficient evidence for the business configuration. Record the date, station and access method for every check. Networks and terms can change.

Calculate energy demand within the charging window

The highest advertised charging power does not describe the energy every vehicle receives at every stop. Plan with a plausible average power for the vehicle, state of charge and conditions. Use existing charging sessions from the same vehicle group where available, and identify assumptions.

For example, a hypothetical field-service day requires an additional 30 kWh at the battery. With 40 minutes of actual charging time available, an average of 45 kW at the battery is required. Travel to the station, connecting, waiting time and charging losses are not yet included. An available 50 kW station therefore cannot be approved as sufficient solely on the basis of its rated power.

Also check the state of charge when leaving the station. The driver must be able to reach not just the next customer but also an alternative if the planned subsequent option fails. The appropriate reserve depends on the vehicle, route and conditions. Derive it from the operating profile rather than using one percentage for every driver.

Compare usable coverage with suitable weightings

Do not count every route once if some are driven daily and others only twice a year. Start by assessing coverage according to the number of corresponding working days. Add the energy expected to be charged there when making the financial comparison.

A simplified example: of 100 typical field-service days, 82 are covered by a suitable primary station and a usable alternative. For twelve days, only one confirmed option exists; six days remain unresolved. Report precisely these three groups. A blanket figure of “94 percent coverage” would hide dependence on individual stations.

Also distinguish between a desk assessment and observed operations. A successfully completed day provides evidence for that day under its particular conditions. It does not prove that the same location is always available throughout the year. For rare but decisive routes, the remaining uncertainty belongs in the selection decision.

Check alternatives for shared weaknesses

Two connectors at the same location offer more choice but are not independent backup locations. A blocked entrance or local power outage can affect both. For critical trips, therefore, check an alternative station that is genuinely reachable via a different entrance or at another location.

A second card also only helps with certain failures. It may cover an access failure affecting the first provider, but it cannot fix a broken charger. Define which fallback method is approved and how its costs should be submitted. Drivers need a short sequence of actions, not a long list of unassessed apps.

Prioritise testing routes where a failure would jeopardise appointments or the return journey. Record the extra minutes and the reason for switching to the alternative. This reveals whether the problem lies in network coverage, the schedule or the access method.

Turn the assessment into a usable route policy

The result should provide a few preferred stops, an alternative and a clear exception rule for each route group. Name a person responsible for changes. Drivers can report roadworks, closed access roads or time windows that no longer work; fleet management updates the recommendation after checking it.

StromNow Business combines charging price comparison and route planning in the driver app with central visibility of fleet charging costs. You can assess its suitability for your field-service routes using your own route sample.

For a route analysis with StromNow, bring typical working days, vehicle models, charging windows and known problem stops. The aim is a clear assessment of which routes are well served and where a different charging arrangement is needed.