How to Install an OptiGrid Battery-Integrated Charger for EV Fleet Charging

For fleet managers weighing the benefits of converting to EV fleets, the conversation typically stalls over site infrastructure. Site upgrades can create roadblocks that cause delays, making the use of EVs unrealistic. Nate Rosenbloom, Head of Product and Business Development at OptiGrid, provides a practical playbook for the installation of Reservoir, OptiGrid’s battery-integrated charger for EV fleets, a solution that can clear the way to a seamless transition to EV.

Key installation facts:

• Two installation options: direct concrete mount or skid-mounted (no concrete pad needed)

• Supports 480V 3-phase, 208V 3-phase, and 240V single-phase, no power upgrades needed

• Delivers up to 200 kW output from as little as 60 kW grid draw using integrated battery storage

• Minimum recommended grid input: 25 – 30 kW for typical fleet utilization

• Skid footprint: approximately 5 ft x 6 ft; moveable by forklift or standard pallet jack

• Most sites are fully operational within a few hours of the unit arriving

• Installs may require no permits at all

  
  

How do you install an OptiGrid EV charger?

OptiGrid chargers can be installed in hours using one of two options: a direct concrete mount or a skid-mounted installation that requires no concrete pad and minimal site preparation.

Option 1 - Direct concrete mount: The unit arrives crated and is placed on a pre-prepped concrete pad using OptiGrid’s mounting template. Electrical conduit can run under- or above-ground with no trenching required. The customer then wires directly from the existing circuit breaker into the charger.

Option 2 - Skid-mounted: The skid acts as the structural base and conduit entry point, no concrete pad is needed. The unit is unloaded, positioned and wired to input power, and it’s ready to go. Because the unit is compact (roughly 4 ft x 4 ft x 8 ft tall) and supports 480V 3-phase, 208V 3-phase and 240V single-phase power, it works with whatever voltage is already available at the site. No power upgrades are required. In either scenario, most sites are fully operational within a few hours of the unit arriving.

How does an EV charger deliver 200 kW without a 200 kW grid connection?

The OptiGrid charger uses an integrated battery to amplify a modest grid connection, drawing around 60 kW from the utility while delivering up to 200 kW to the vehicle.

Rather than drawing 200 kW continuously from the utility service, the battery-integrated charger pulls approximately 60 kW at 100 amps on a 480V 3-phase circuit and combines it with power from the integrated battery storage inside the unit. When a vehicle plugs in, both sources work together to deliver up to 200 kW.

Think of the battery as a buffer, it charges slowly from the grid and discharges quickly during a charging session. The result is high-power charging without the need for high-demand grid infrastructure.

What is the minimum power supply needed to run an OptiGrid charger?

The OptiGrid charger can technically accept as little as 5 kW from the grid, but OptiGrid recommends at least 25–30 kW for most real-world fleet applications to ensure the battery recharges quickly enough between sessions.

Input power determines how fast the integrated battery recovers between charging sessions. At 5 kW, a full recharge takes more than 24 hours, which is workable for very low utilization but not practical for medium- or high-utilization fleets. At 25–30 kW, the battery recovers fast enough to keep up with typical fleet charging patterns.

What site work is required to install a battery-integrated EV charger?

With the skid-mounted option, little to no site work is required - no concrete, no trenching, no switchgear or transformer procurement. Chargers connect directly to an existing electrical panel.

OptiGrid’s battery-integrated charger eliminates the external switchgear, transformers and power cabinets that traditional fast chargers typically demand. For smaller deployments, the connection goes directly to the main service panel, no additional infrastructure work required.

For larger-scale rollouts that bring in additional power, some infrastructure work may still apply, but the scope is driven by deployment size, not by the charger technology itself. Because each unit works with existing infrastructure, fleets can phase deployments incrementally starting with what’s available now and scale as demand grows.

How big is the OptiGrid skid-mounted charger, and how is it moved?

The OptiGrid skid is approximately 5 ft. x 6 ft. and can be moved with a standard forklift or pallet jack without a crane required for most installations.

Crane lifts are possible but must be performed from underneath using straps, not from above. The skid includes built-in bollards for impact protection. OptiGrid can also include an external disconnect or knife switch, a commonly requested feature for fleet operations that need a clearly marked emergency shutoff.

Do you need a permit to install an EV fleet charger?

Permitting requirements vary by jurisdiction, but for private, behind-the-fence fleet applications, especially skid-mounted installs that don’t require a service upgrade, it’s often possible to install with no permits at all.

Permitting requirements vary by jurisdiction and installation scope, but for fleets in private, behind-the-fence applications, they're often minimal. In some cases, particularly skid-mounted installations that don't require an electrical service upgrade, it's possible to install with no permits at all. The analogy OptiGrid uses is adding a new appliance to your panel, if you're not doing construction and not upgrading service, the regulatory footprint is correspondingly small.

For more complex installations, electrical permits, structural permits and fire marshal sign-off may all apply.

OptiGrid works with customers to evaluate each situation on their terms, and they work with their partner network to assess what's required for a specific jurisdiction and scope.

Does OptiGrid help assess a site before installation?

Yes. OptiGrid works with customers during the pre-sales process to evaluate available power and determine how many chargers a site can support through a network of sales and installation partners who can assist with on-site evaluation and planning.

How long does it take to deploy an EV fleet charger from purchase to operation?

For a site that’s ready to go, an OptiGrid charger can be shipped and operational within days of purchase, no waiting on concrete work or switchgear procurement.

The skid-mounted design is specifically engineered to compress the timeline. Larger or more complex deployments with additional infrastructure needs will take longer, but the battery-integrated architecture allows fleets to begin deploying before all long-term infrastructure is in place.

What causes EV charger deployment delays, and how do you avoid them?

The most common cause of EV charger deployment delays is incomplete upfront planning, specifically the failure to define vehicle charging requirements before selecting a solution.

When fleets don’t have a clear picture of how much charging they need and when, they risk being recommended an oversized solution, which triggers longer planning cycles, more complex permitting, and larger construction scopes. OptiGrid’s guidance: invest time early to understand your vehicle mix and charging needs. That clarity moves fleets faster through planning and permitting, and allows them to scale in step with operational reality rather than ahead of it.

OptiGrid’s battery-integrated charger is designed to remove the infrastructure barriers that typically slow fleet electrification. For site-specific questions about power availability, deployment scope or installation approach, their team can evaluate what’s achievable with a fleet’s existing setup.