To offer enhanced flexibility for its customers’ fleet charging operations, AMPLY Power has launched INRUSH, a containerized infrastructure system for electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The first deployment of this solution is occurring with AMPLY’s long-standing customer, the Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN). Through this agreement, AMPLY will design, construct and operate a charging facility leveraging INRUSH charging capsules and AMPLY’s OMEGA Charge Management System to support ATN’s entire electric fleet of 46 transit buses for two years.
“INRUSH is the first ready-to-deploy solution in the industry that leverages the flexibility and affordability of modular container infrastructure,” says Vic Shao, co-founder and CEO of AMPLY Power. “This offering significantly reduces the time and resources required to get fleet charging facilities up and running, a key barrier to EV adoption.”
The containerized charging capsule allows customers to utilize semi-permanent, portable charging to account for unpredictable changes in operations, offering fleet operators the ability to charge EVs from any location. The electrical switchgear needed for charging is located inside of an upcycled shipping container, which is pre-built offsite to streamline deployment.
Portable charging is a solution for operators who are unable to install permanent infrastructure on a site, whether because of lease agreements, ongoing site transformation or other reasons. When containers are removed, site restoration is minimal because most of the equipment is located within the container. Design, procurement and installation costs for the container solution are expected to be roughly 50% less expensive than traditional infrastructure. The setup process takes about six months from start to finish – 50% less time than with traditional infrastructure.
“INRUSH was developed specifically to meet the needs of fleets with aggressive EV deployment goals or that need interim charging infrastructure while planning for their permanent infrastructure, which is exactly what Anaheim Transportation Network needed,” continues Shao.
AMPLY Power worked closely with ATN and other relevant stakeholders to develop a solution tailored for the project’s unique requirements. To provide charging capabilities in an accelerated timeline while ATN’s permanent all-electric facility is being planned, AMPLY led efforts to identify a site to temporarily serve ATN’s fleet of 35’, 40’ and 60’ buses. Disney’s Toy Story parking lot, which services Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort, was chosen as the ultimate destination for the INRUSH solution.
“As we continue building out our long-term infrastructure for our fleet of battery electric buses (BEBs), we’re excited to take advantage of AMPLY Power’s portable, containerized charging solution to meet our current need for flexibility,” states Diana Kotler, ATN’s executive director. “This will allow us to continue operating our dozens of BEBs without any interruption in service, while maintaining our commitment to be the state’s first all-electric bus fleet.”
ATN’s charging facility will include two INRUSH shipping containers, each equipped with five chargers capable of charging 10 buses simultaneously, including two 200 kW chargers for more power-intensive 60’ buses. As part of its charging-as-a-service agreement with ATN, the facility will be fully supported by AMPLY’s OMEGA Charge Management System (CMS) and technical support services. OMEGA integrates third-party systems that manage routes, maintenance, and scheduling to guarantee 99.99% EV fleet uptime, monitored in real-time through AMPLY’s Command Center dashboard.
The launch of INRUSH is the latest milestone in AMPLY Power’s collaborations with ATN and other public transportation agencies in California to further the state’s fleet decarbonization objectives. In 2020, ATN chose AMPLY Power to manage all aspects of charging for the electric buses servicing the city of Anaheim and surrounding communities, signing a 20-year contract for the management of ATN’s charging operations. This includes system design, installation, equipment purchase, operations and maintenance for a fixed price per kWh consumed.
In February 2021, ATN was awarded a $5 million grant by the California Energy Commission to purchase, install and integrate a microgrid and solar charging infrastructure, which AMPLY is supporting as well.