Smart energy hubs could cut fleet charging costs and ease grid constraints, says Cenex report
- Perry Richardson
- Jul 22
- 2 min read
New research from Cenex has found that smart energy hubs combining solar generation, battery energy storage and bidirectional electric vehicle charging could play a significant role in helping fleet operators reduce energy costs while accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
The study, published through the UK Government-funded Innovate UK Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Phase 2 Programme, examined how DC-coupled energy systems can optimise electricity use behind the meter, allowing organisations to install EV charging infrastructure even where local grid capacity is constrained. The research focused on the performance of the 3ti Papilio3 V2X DC FastHub across a range of commercial and public sector environments including fleet depots, factories, offices and leisure destinations.
Using its EIGER energy modelling tool, Cenex found that office, leisure and depot sites operating on two-rate electricity tariffs could achieve annual energy cost savings of around £2,600 to £3,700. High-demand factory sites could see annual savings exceeding £18,000, while the report suggests dynamic electricity tariffs may unlock even greater financial benefits.
The modelling also showed that peak electricity demand could be reduced by between 5kW and 150kW depending on the site’s operational characteristics. Battery energy storage was identified as a key component for shifting electricity demand, making better use of lower-cost tariffs and supporting higher-powered EV charging without requiring costly upgrades to local electricity networks. Cenex also concluded that DC-coupled architecture improves overall efficiency by reducing energy conversion losses and increasing the use of renewable electricity generated on site.
For taxi operators, private hire fleets and other commercial transport businesses considering electrification, the findings highlight one potential route to expanding charging capacity where depot locations face limited grid connections. Grid availability remains a challenge for many fleet operators seeking to increase the number of electric vehicles in service without incurring significant infrastructure costs.
However, the report also concludes that there is no universal solution suitable for every site. System performance varies according to vehicle charging patterns, battery capacity, solar generation, electricity demand and tariff structure, meaning organisations should tailor system design to their own operating requirements rather than adopting a standardised approach.
Steve Carroll, Head of Research and Technical Services at Cenex, said: “Cenex modelling demonstrated how smart DC microgrids integrating solar, storage and bidirectional EV charging can significantly reduce energy costs, lower peak demand and support fleet electrification. Solutions like the Fasthub will be essential if we are to electrify transport operations and optimise energy use in today’s grid-constrained environments.”
Mark Potter, Chief Technology Officer at 3ti, said the findings provide an evidence base for organisations weighing investment decisions. He added that the priority now is wider adoption of open interoperability standards by vehicle manufacturers to enable bidirectional charging technology to deliver practical benefits at scale.
Cenex said the research offers practical guidance for businesses, local authorities and fleet operators planning future EV charging infrastructure, with the full report containing detailed modelling, site-specific analysis and recommendations to support investment decisions.
