Where to put chargers: a yard-layout checklist
Good charger placement follows how the yard really works — power in, where vehicles park, turning circles and cable runs. A practical checklist.
Last updated 15 August 2026
Charger placement looks simple until a badly-sited unit blocks a turning circle or forces a long, costly cable run. A little planning against how the yard actually works pays off every day the depot operates.
Start from three fixed points
Map where power enters the site, where vehicles genuinely park overnight, and the routes between them. Chargers ideally sit close to both the supply and the parked vehicles, because long cable runs cost money and lose a little power. Working from these three points keeps the whole layout efficient.
Respect how vehicles move
A yard is a working space with turning circles, one-way flows and pinch points. A charger that’s electrically convenient but sits where an artic needs to swing is a daily problem. Walk the vehicle movements — including the biggest vehicles, fully loaded — before fixing charger positions, and leave room for drivers to connect cables safely without awkward stretches.
A quick placement checklist
Before signing off a layout, check: are chargers near the supply to keep cable runs short? Do they suit where vehicles actually rest overnight? Is there clearance for turning and manoeuvring? Can cables reach each vehicle’s inlet comfortably? Is there safe pedestrian access? Have you left duct routes for future expansion? And are units protected from strikes?
Placement decisions ripple into the civils cost and daily usability, so it’s worth getting your installer to walk the yard with you rather than designing from a plan alone. The best layouts feel obvious in hindsight because they simply follow how the depot already works.