Rapid Deployment System: 60% Less Construction, No Excavation Required

The traditional approach to installing DC EV chargers treats each unit as an independent power system. Every charger needs its own switchgear, its own metered feed from the MV or LV distribution board, and its own civil work: cable trenches, conduit runs, concrete bases, and in many cases groundworks to accommodate cable ducts beneath the surface. For a 50-bay depot, this means 50 civil operations, 50 electrical connections, and 50 surface reinstatements. In an open yard, the programme is manageable. In a covered building, an underground car park, or a live operating depot, it becomes the determining constraint on whether electrification is possible at all.

Neutron's rapid deployment configuration eliminates that constraint. Surface-mount DC dispensers bolt directly to any flat concrete floor — M12 anchors, four fixing points, no excavation required. A single DC cable from the centralised Master Unit feeds each dispenser, replacing the individual conduit runs and power cabinets of a conventional installation. The result is a system that deploys in days rather than weeks, with civil cost savings of up to 50% against standalone charger alternatives.

What "No Groundworks" Actually Means for Programme and Cost

In conventional DC charging installations, civil works typically consume 35–45% of total project cost and 60–70% of the installation programme. The civil scope includes breaking out the existing surface, installing duct runs for each charger's LV feed, backfilling and reinstating, and constructing a concrete base for each charger unit. In a live depot — where vehicles operate 24 hours a day and the car park cannot close for six weeks — this scope is often simply unachievable.

The rapid deployment configuration reduces civil works to a single operation: one DC bus cable route from the Master Unit to each row of dispensers. In a 20-bay underground car park, this typically means one surface-level cable run along the wall, one cable penetration per row, and no surface reinstatement. Each dispenser is secured to the concrete floor with four M12 anchor bolts set in resin — a 20-minute operation per unit. The entire mechanical installation for a 20-bay site can be completed in two to three days by a two-person team.

Where Conventional Chargers Cannot Go

Three site types consistently defeat conventional standalone charger deployments. The rapid deployment configuration is specifically designed to serve all three.

Underground car parks

Below-grade car parks present a combination of constraints that rule out conventional charger designs. Structural slabs cannot be broken out without structural engineer sign-off, contractor specialisation, and weeks of programme time. Below-slab cable ducts designed decades ago are invariably occupied, undersized, or inaccessible. Ventilation requirements for large power conversion equipment often cannot be met in enclosed underground spaces. And access for large plant and materials is limited by ramp widths and ceiling heights.

Surface-mount dispensers eliminate every one of these constraints. No slab penetration. No duct work. No ventilation equipment at bay level — the dispenser is a passive delivery node generating minimal heat at the connection point. Materials handling requires nothing larger than standard hand tools and a cable drum. In a multi-storey NCP-format car park, a floor can be equipped with 10 charging bays in a single day without closing the level to traffic.

Multi-storey car parks with structural constraints

Multi-storey car park slabs — particularly post-tensioned decks common in structures built from the 1970s onward — cannot be core-drilled without a structural survey identifying the tendon positions. This survey adds weeks to programme and can reveal that the preferred cable route is blocked by tendons throughout, requiring a full redesign. Even where drilling is approved, penetrations through a post-tensioned deck require specialist contractors and affect the structural warranty on the deck.

Wall-routed DC cable above slab level completely avoids this constraint. The cable runs horizontally along the car park wall, enters through an approved penetration at one location per deck, and distributes to each dispenser via surface conduit. No structural surveys for bay-level installations. No specialist slab contractors. No warranty implications for the deck.

Live operating depots that cannot close

Bus depots and logistics hubs operate continuously. A six-week civil programme that requires closing 30 bays — even phased across the site — disrupts operations in ways that fleet managers and transport authorities will not accept. The programme also creates a commercial problem: the operator pays for civil works and disruption months before the first EV charges.

The rapid deployment programme eliminates the disruption period. Row-by-row installation allows bays to go live sequentially, with each row commissioned and operational before work begins on the next. Vehicles continue using commissioned bays during installation of subsequent rows. In a 50-bay depot, the first 10 bays can be live within a week of site start while the remaining 40 bays install around normal operations.

NSNF0010DC dispensers surface-mounted to a concrete car park floor. M12 anchor bolts, no groundworks. DC cable routes along the wall to the centralised Master Unit cabinet.

The Architecture Behind Rapid Deployment

The reason a surface-mount dispenser can replace a standalone charger at bay level — and eliminate most of the civil scope — is architectural. In Neutron's Master-Terminal system, all AC-DC power conversion happens in a single Master Unit cabinet, typically located in a plant room, external cabinet enclosure, or any location with adequate ventilation. Power is distributed to each bay as DC, not AC, which means the cable at bay level is a DC bus feed — not a circuit that requires its own switchgear, RCD protection, or power cabinet.

The dispenser at each bay is precisely what its name suggests: a delivery point. It contains the vehicle communication electronics, the CCS2 connector, the metering and OCPP communications hardware, and the user interface. It contains no transformer, no power conversion stage, and no ventilation requirement. The unit draws from the DC bus, presents it to the vehicle, and reports back to the Master Unit and CMS. This is why it can be physically small, light (approximately 85 kg for the NSNF0010DC), and bolted to the floor without civil preparation.

In a conventional standalone charger installation, each bay has its own civil footprint: a cable trench from the distribution board, a duct and draw string, a concrete base for the charger, and a surface reinstatement. In the rapid deployment configuration, the civil footprint for each bay is four drilled holes and a cable connection. The programme and cost difference is proportional to the number of bays.

Dispenser Specifications: NSNF0010DC and NSNF0011SC

Two dispenser models cover the full fleet and commercial deployment range. Both share the same surface-mount form factor and identical installation requirements.

The NSNF0010DC is the primary fleet dispenser, delivering up to 200 kW per connector across two CCS2 outputs. Dynamic load sharing between the two connectors is managed by the Master Unit — both vehicles charge simultaneously at reduced power, or a single vehicle charges at full 200 kW when the second connector is idle. A 7" colour touchscreen, RFID authentication, and ISO 15118-2 Plug & Charge are standard. Dimensions are 1,850 × 700 × 380 mm; weight is approximately 85 kg.

The NSNF0011SC is the dual-gun commercial variant, designed for higher-throughput public-facing and CPO installations. It accepts the same DC bus connection as the NSNF0010DC but presents a dual-gun interface with dynamic redistribution up to 480 kW across both CCS2 connectors. The physical installation is identical: four M12 anchor bolts to any concrete surface, DC cable connection to the terminal strip, and commissioning via the Electron CMS dashboard.

Commissioning, Software, and Remote Management

Once mechanical and electrical installation is complete, each dispenser is commissioned via the Electron CMS platform. The commissioning process sets the OCPP endpoint, assigns the dispenser to its Satellite Terminal group, configures authentication and tariff parameters, and runs a power-up self-test sequence. For a 20-bay deployment, network commissioning typically takes two to three hours — comparable to the time required to configure the electrical installation at each bay on a conventional charger deployment.

Post-commissioning, all dispensers are managed through the same Electron CMS interface regardless of whether they are NSNF0010DC, NSNF0011SC, in-ground NSNF0015GRC, or overhead NSNF0014DDC units. A single dashboard shows real-time status, energy throughput, fault conditions, and charging history across the entire site. Remote firmware updates are delivered over-the-air via the Master Unit's network connection; no on-site visit is required for software maintenance.

Comparison: Rapid Deployment vs. Standalone Charger Installation

The civil and programme advantages of rapid deployment are most pronounced at scale. A single-bay installation shows a modest difference; a 20-bay or 50-bay site shows the full impact.

The cost figures reflect typical UK contractor pricing in 2025–2026 for 20-bay sites. Individual project costs vary based on cable run distances, site access, and ground conditions. The rapid deployment advantage is largest in sites where groundworks are structurally constrained or where disruption to operations carries a direct commercial cost.

OZEV Funding Eligibility

Rapid deployment configurations using NSNF0010DC dispensers are eligible for funding under the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme and the Depot Charging Scheme, subject to standard eligibility criteria. The lower civil cost means that OZEV grant funding covers a higher proportion of total project cost compared to standalone charger installations — in some cases, the grant contribution can exceed 75% of total eligible costs when civil works are minimised by the rapid deployment approach.

Neutron manages grant applications as part of the standard deployment package. Pre-application technical review, OZEV submission, and grant management are included at no additional cost. The rapid deployment installation timeline also means that funded equipment is in commercial operation significantly faster than conventional programmes — relevant for transport operators who need to demonstrate compliance with ZEV mandate timelines.