City of Saskatoon Solves Winter Fleet Charging with Sequential INITIUM Solution

The Challenge: When Level 2 Isn't Enough

The City of Saskatoon operates Ford F-150 Lightning PRO trucks for patrol operations at their municipal landfill site. During Saskatchewan's notoriously harsh winters, the city discovered their existing Level 2 charging infrastructure couldn't meet their fleet's energy demands.

Saskatchewan winters bring unique challenges for electric vehicle operations. Vehicles need to maintain cabin heating for operator comfort and safety while keeping battery packs warm for optimal performance—energy requirements that quickly overwhelm standard Level 2 charging capabilities.

"The Level 2 chargers onsite were not able to keep up with the vehicles' energy demand," explains Dale Braun, Manager Fleet Services for the City of Saskatoon. The municipal team needed a solution that could handle the increased energy requirements of winter EV operation while maintaining operational efficiency.

The Teal Solution: Sequential Charging for Municipal Operations

Teal engineered a custom INITIUM 30 solution specifically configured for the city's operational requirements. Rather than forcing them to adapt to a standardized solution, we configured dual CCS1 connectors with sequential charging capability to match their exact fleet needs.

Our ground-up engineering approach allowed us to provide intelligent power management that automatically delivers full 30kW to each vehicle in sequence—fully charging one vehicle before switching to the next. This configuration maximises available electrical capacity without requiring expensive infrastructure upgrades, something standardised offerings simply cannot provide.

For municipal operations like the City of Saskatoon, this configuration provides several advantages:

• Maximum power utilization - Full 30kW to each vehicle in sequence

• Infrastructure efficiency - Serves three vehicles from one electrical connection

• Operational flexibility - Vehicles can be plugged in and automatically managed

• Cost effectiveness - Avoids expensive electrical upgrades while meeting fleet needs

Proven Winter Performance

The INITIUM 30 installation has demonstrated reliable operation through a full Saskatchewan winter, including confirmed performance at -36°C temperatures. With our chargers rated to -50°C, the extreme climate capability ensures consistent charging performance regardless of weather conditions.

Key Performance Highlights:

• -36°C operation confirmed - Reliable performance in extreme cold

• Three F-150 Lightning trucks served - Sequential charging manages multiple vehicles

• 30kW power delivery - Sufficient capacity for winter energy demands

• Year-round operational capability - Consistent performance across seasons

The installation has successfully addressed the city's winter charging challenges while providing a foundation for potential fleet expansion. The sequential charging capability means additional vehicles can be accommodated without requiring additional electrical infrastructure investment.