01. The Challenge
A Build-Out Plan Built on Optimism
Our client, a mobility operator planning an EV charging network, faced a familiar trap: charging demand looked enormous in the abstract, but the locations, power levels and use-cases that would actually generate utilisation were far from clear. A network built on optimistic assumptions risked stranded, under-used assets.
Charging demand looks limitless on a slide. Utilisation is decided corridor by corridor, and that's a primary-research question.
They needed on-the-ground demand validation, from real drivers and fleet operators, to size utilisation by corridor and use-case before committing capital to the build-out.
02. Our Approach
Grounding Demand in Real Driver Behaviour
Zapulse ran a 6-week mixed-method programme combining fleet and driver research to estimate utilisation bottom-up rather than from top-down projections.
Driver & Fleet Survey
Surveyed 1,100 EV drivers and fleet operators on routes, dwell time, charging habits and willingness to pay across three markets.
Corridor Interviews & Observation
Interviewed fleet managers and observed real charging behaviour to understand utilisation drivers no survey captures.
Bottom-Up Demand Modelling
Built utilisation estimates corridor-by-corridor from observed behaviour, ranking locations by realistic payback.
03. Research Methodology
Research Methods Deployed
Quantitative Survey
A structured questionnaire fielded to 1,100 drivers and fleet operators covering routes, charging behaviour, dwell time and willingness to pay.
Fleet Interviews
In-depth interviews with fleet managers on electrification plans, duty cycles and charging constraints.
Behavioural Observation
On-site observation of charging patterns to capture real dwell time and utilisation dynamics.
Expert Validation
Utilisation model pressure-tested with mobility and infrastructure experts before delivery.
04. Key Findings
Where Charging Demand Is Real
01
Utilisation Concentrated in Few Corridors
A small set of corridors accounted for the majority of realistic utilisation, while many 'attractive' locations would have been chronically under-used.
"
Zapulse's utilisation map saved us from building where demand simply wasn't. We concentrated capital where the payback was real.
Head of Infrastructure
02
Fleets, Not Retail, Drove Payback
Fleet and commercial use-cases delivered far more reliable utilisation than opportunistic retail charging, reordering the site strategy.
03
Power Level Was Often Over-Specified
Many sites were slated for high-power fast charging that dwell-time data showed was unnecessary, inflating capex without lifting utilisation.
05. The Results
From Optimism to a Payback-Ranked Network
A Payback-Ranked Site Plan
Delivered utilisation estimates by corridor and use-case, giving the client a defensible, evidence-based build sequence.
Capital Concentrated on Winners
Refocused investment on four priority corridors and fleet use-cases, avoiding stranded assets in low-utilisation locations.
A Repeatable Demand Framework
Delivered a bottom-up utilisation model the client can re-run as EV adoption accelerates across new markets.
06. Client Perspective
In Their Own Words
"
Zapulse gave us the confidence to build where demand is real and hold back where it isn't. In an infrastructure business, that discipline is worth a great deal.
Head of Infrastructure
Enterprise · India + Southeast Asia
