In short: load management lets a depot run more chargers than its grid connection could supply at full power, by sharing the available capacity between vehicles. A good system measures the whole site in real time, never exceeds the connection limit, and prioritises vehicles by departure time and state of charge. It is usually the cheapest way to add charging, and it works best when it is designed in from the start rather than bolted on.
Most depots have spare electrical capacity overnight, exactly when vans are parked. Load management is how you use it safely. This article explains how it works, the types available and what to specify.
How does load management work?
The system watches how much power the site is drawing and how much its connection allows. Whatever is left is shared between the chargers. As the building’s own load rises or falls, or as vehicles finish charging, the system adjusts each charger’s power, often every few seconds.
You will also see it called dynamic load balancing, dynamic power management or EV charging load management. Suppliers use different names, but the idea is the same: share the power the site has, and never exceed its limit.
The result is that twenty chargers can share a supply that could only run a fraction of them at full power, while every vehicle is still charged by the time it leaves. We work through an example in how many depot chargers you need.
What types are there?
| Type | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Static | Each charger has a fixed maximum, so the total can never exceed the limit | Very small sites with steady loads |
| Dynamic, charger group | Power is shared between a group of chargers within a fixed total | Sites where the building load is small and predictable |
| Dynamic, whole site | A meter on the incoming supply lets chargers use whatever the building is not using | Most depots, especially with variable building loads |
| Schedule-based | Charging is planned around departure times, tariffs and forecasts | Fleets with fixed rotas and time-of-use tariffs |
For most fleets, dynamic whole-site management with departure-time priorities gives the best result. A distributed charging system, where one power cabinet feeds several dispensers, does similar sharing inside the hardware for DC charging; see distributed vs standalone chargers.
Where does the intelligence sit?
Load management can run in a local controller on site, in the cloud through your back office, or in both. A local controller keeps working if the internet connection drops, which matters because exceeding the site limit can trip the main supply. Cloud control makes it easier to add tariffs, schedules and fleet data.
The safest designs do both: a local controller that enforces the hard limit, with the back office setting priorities. Chargers that support OCPP smart charging can take power limits from any compliant system; see OCPP explained.
How should vehicles be prioritised?
- Departure time: the van leaving first gets power first.
- State of charge: where the vehicle reports it, the emptiest battery can be prioritised.
- Energy needed for the next route: best of all, if your fleet system can share route plans.
- Tariff: shift flexible charging to cheaper hours once urgent vehicles are covered.
Charging outside peak hours also suits network charges. The red band for distribution charges usually runs from 4pm to 7pm, as Drax explains, so a system that delays non-urgent charging until later in the evening saves money as well as capacity.
What can go wrong?
- No site meter: without measuring the building load, the system has to assume the worst and leaves capacity unused.
- Too little headroom: if the site is genuinely short of energy, not just power, load management cannot create it. Storage or a bigger connection may be needed.
- Fail-unsafe settings: decide what happens if communication is lost. Chargers should fall back to a safe low power, not full power.
- Driver workarounds: if drivers see slow charging and unplug other vehicles, the plan fails. Show expected completion times.
If load management is not enough on its own, the next steps are covered in options while you wait for a grid connection.
What to specify
| Requirement | Why |
|---|---|
| Meter on the incoming supply | Lets chargers use the building’s unused capacity |
| Local enforcement of the site limit | Protects the supply if the internet connection fails |
| Departure-time and priority settings | Ensures vehicles are ready when needed |
| Safe fallback power | Avoids tripping the supply after a fault |
| OCPP smart charging support | Keeps you free to change software |
| Reports on energy delivered per vehicle | Shows whether the plan works in practice |
Frequently asked questions
Does load management slow down charging?
It can reduce power at busy times, but a well-set system still delivers every vehicle’s energy before departure. For overnight depots, drivers rarely notice.
Can I add load management to existing chargers?
Often, if the chargers support OCPP smart charging or the manufacturer’s own controller. Check compatibility before buying a separate system.
Is load management the same as a flexible connection?
No. A flexible connection is an agreement with the network operator. Load management is how your site stays within whatever limit applies, so it is often what makes a flexible connection workable.
Our solution recommendations service designs load management around your fleet’s real schedules. Tell us about your depot.
