Case Study - Gilbert Ash - Smart EV Infrastructure for a Smarter Future

As electric vehicle (EV) adoption continues to grow, forward-thinking businesses like Gilbert Ash are taking steps to future-proof their infrastructure. At their new head office in Belfast, AJ Hurst was proud to deliver a technically robust, scalable EV charging solution — leveraging Schneider Electric’s EVlink Pro AC chargers and the powerful EV Charging Expert load management software.

Here’s a deeper look into the technical decisions and advantages behind the installation, and how we overcame some key challenges.

Project Overview: Intelligent Design Meets Practical Constraints

The objective was clear: replace six outdated EV chargers from a different manufacturer with modern, reliable units — but with two main constraints:

• Limited available charging capacity on site.
• Desire to reuse existing electrical infrastructure, avoiding costly rewiring.

Our solution was to deploy six Schneider Electric EVlink Pro AC chargers, configured in a back-to-back mounting format. This allowed us to install two single-socket chargers in one floor-mounted enclosure, maintaining a clean footprint while utilising existing cabling routes and power supplies.

Dynamic Load Management with EV Charging Expert

What truly unlocked the full potential of this installation, however, was the Schneider EV Charging Expert software. This On-Site, real-time load management system is purpose-built for installations like Gilbert Ash’s, where grid capacity is limited, but multiple chargers are required.

Dynamic Load Shedding - The system continuously monitors total site power usage and redistributes available capacity among active chargers in real time. This prevents overloads and ensures that energy is prioritised based on demand, not rigid schedules.

Data-Driven Allocation - Using real-time analytics, the software ensures that EVs with the greatest immediate need receive the most power — ideal for workplaces where some employees may stay all day while others only park for a few hours.

Automatic Adaptation

The system dynamically adapts to:

• Number of active vehicles charging
• Time-of-day tariffs (if integrated)
• Site energy usage (when paired with building energy management systems)

No Need for Network Cabling

Thanks to the inclusion of the Phoenix Contact Bluetooth Wireless Set, the chargers connect wirelessly to the central load management controller. This saved significant time and cost on network cabling, particularly as the site layout limited new conduit routes.

The Outcome: Scalable, Efficient, and Future-Proof

The final result at Gilbert Ash’s new HQ is a fully commissioned, smart EV charging system that:

• Makes efficient use of limited grid capacity
• Eliminates downtime and manual intervention
• Scales easily with future demand
• Integrates seamlessly into the site’s infrastructure
• Reduces total installation cost through reuse of existing cabling and wireless comms

Final Thoughts

At AJ Hurst, we focus on delivering solutions that are not only technically sound but tailored to each client's infrastructure and energy landscape. With Schneider Electric’s EVlink Pro AC hardware and EV Charging Expert software, we were able to deliver a smart, efficient, and forward-looking system for Gilbert Ash.

Whether you're managing a new build or retrofitting existing infrastructure, dynamic load management and modular charging solutions are the keys to scalable EV readiness.