Eaton has developed cutting-edge infrastructure and software to simplify EV fleet charging and commercial last-mile charging applications

This article is sponsored content presented by Eaton.

The name Eaton is synonymous around the world with power management technologies and energy-efficient products.

We operate in over 175 countries and across multiple sectors. We are a power management company with deep experience in solving problems that result in a more efficient, sustainable and resilient future.

“We like to focus on providing innovative and complimentary products, that give our customers a complete solution once they are combined all together,” says Maxime Corbet, product manager for Eaton’s Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Canada.

“People know us as a power management and distribution company, but they don’t really know us yet as a player in the EV charging world. We have the ability to provide the whole package — not only the EV charger at the end of the line.”

So, in a time of rapid transition to vehicle electrification, Eaton is pleased to officially announce that we offer a comprehensive portfolio of unique and innovative solutions to help Canadian customers and projects navigate this new challenge.

EV Charging Busway

To simplify the EV charging experience Eaton has developed a suite of products designed to bring reliability and efficiency to fleet customers looking to support their electric vehicles and add stability to the grid as it adapts to supporting a new demand on it.

One of the most rapidly electrifying areas are fleet operations for ‘’last mile’’ delivery services. It’s a complex sector due to the emphasis on avoiding vehicle downtime and the logistics of installing charging infrastructure in depots, that are often not designed to accommodate the solutions available on the market today.

“For fleet depot applications, the need is usually to upgrade the power distribution equipment and install the chargers. To find a solution for this challenge, we have reimagined a product called ‘Busway’, that we have been offering for decades at Eaton” says Corbet.

“What we have developed is the ability to integrate EV chargers directly into the Busway without the need to run all the usual cable to each and every charger. This gives the electrical contractor more flexibility at the time of installation (and after as the chargers can be easily added and removed). All of this will achieve cost savings in the long term.”

The EV Charging Busway is installed overhead in depots to ensure the easiest access for vehicles pulling into spots to charge. It delivers a maximum of 19.2 kW per charging point.

EV Smart Breaker Charger – Unique “all-in-one” design

When it comes to residential or commercial applications, Eaton provides a full range of EV Chargers from 7.7kW to 19.2kW.

The unique feature of Eaton’s products is that we’ve tried (successfully) to cut down the amount of hardware customers need to get a charging solution.

With the ‘’EV Smart Breaker Charger’’, we have combined both the circuit protection breaker and the EV charger into one unique product. This can be installed directly into the electrical panel. Once in place, it connects directly to the 25ft charging cable, or even to a junction box that will help reach the parking spots distant from the panel (up to 150 ft).

The big win: multiple charging stations can be installed into the same electrical panel – reducing material, labor, and maintenance costs – but also providing a reliable and durable installation. With this configuration, the chargers are not at risk of being stolen, damaged or deteriorated by the weather since they are not exposed and remained protected within the panel.

“It reduces field level install because you’re essentially getting multiple chargers in one panel – pre-assembled, configured and tested out of the factory” explains Aditya Ramesh, product line manager for commercial power distribution, electrical sector at Eaton.

“From the perspective of an electrical contractor, it’s a lot easier to install one piece of equipment that then can feed multiple chargers, as opposed to installing multiple chargers in the field.”

Charging Network Manager software

Eaton partnered with EV charging software provider ChargeLab to customize its Charging Network Manager (CNM) software. Eaton’s full line of Green Motion EV chargers connect seamlessly to the CNM upon installation, making it one of the most tightly integrated solutions on the market.

“We can work with fleet operators to provide an optimal mix of our chargers and help them with a compact, scalable, and customized design of their charging infrastructure. Fleet operators can then manage all their chargers easily with the Charging Network Manager software,” says Corbet.

Eaton’s Charging Network Manager (CNM) software includes features to oversee charging locations and stations, enable driver access and control, monetize charging infrastructure, and reduce costs with load management. Eaton’s CNM is not only interoperable with any Eaton charger, but also with any Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) compliant hardware.

“We can, essentially, offer the entire package to a project – power distribution, EV chargers and Charging Network Manager software” says Corbet.

“That’s really our unique proposition.”

For more information on Eaton’s EV Charging Busway visit here. For more information on Eaton’s Charging Network Manager software visit here.