Episode 54 – How Cheap Batteries Are Changing EV Charging Infrastructure - with Ryan Fisher, BloombergNEF

Cheap batteries are starting to reshape the economics of EV charging infrastructure.

In this episode of the Charge Point Podcast, Christophe Lephilibert speaks with Ryan Fisher, Head of Charging Infrastructure at BloombergNEF, about why co-located Battery Energy Storage Systems — or BESS — are becoming increasingly relevant for fast-charging sites, truck charging, megawatt charging and grid-constrained locations.

The conversation builds on BloombergNEF’s report, How Cheap Batteries Are Helping EV Charging Scale, to which FLEXECHARGE contributed data. Ryan explains why battery storage is moving from a niche pilot topic to a serious infrastructure tool for Charge Point Operators, especially as battery costs fall, grid fees rise, and charging sites need to deliver more power.

Together, Christophe and Ryan discuss peak-demand charges, grid connection constraints, energy arbitrage, subsidies, truck charging, BYD’s battery-backed megawatt charging rollout, and the implications of BloombergNEF’s 2026 Electric Vehicle Outlook.

The key message: co-located BESS will not make sense for every charging site tomorrow — but every serious CPO should now understand where batteries fit into their rollout strategy.

Guest

Ryan Fisher
Head of Charging Infrastructure, BloombergNEF

Ryan Fisher leads BloombergNEF’s charging infrastructure research. His work connects the electrification of transport with the wider energy system, covering charging infrastructure, battery storage, power markets, grid constraints and the future of EV adoption.

In this episode, Ryan brings a global BloombergNEF perspective on how cheap batteries, grid fees and higher charging powers are changing the fast-charging business case.

What you will learn

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why battery storage is becoming more relevant for EV fast-charging infrastructure
• How cheaper batteries can help CPOs deal with grid connection constraints
• Why peak-demand charges and grid fees are becoming critical to the charging business case
• How co-located BESS can help unlock sites that were previously too expensive or too difficult to build
• Why truck charging and megawatt charging may accelerate battery deployment
• How China, Europe and the US differ in battery costs, subsidies and tariff structures
• Why ancillary services and flexibility markets are promising, but still early for most CPOs
• What BloombergNEF’s 2026 EV Outlook says about EV growth, electricity demand and future charging needs
• Why future charging networks may need to think more like distributed energy asset operators

Key topics covered

Why this report, and why now?

Ryan explains why BloombergNEF decided to investigate the role of batteries in EV charging infrastructure. Overcapacity in the battery market has pushed storage costs down, while CPOs are facing more questions around grid access, grid fees and whether charging infrastructure can scale fast enough.

BloombergNEF tracked around 800 projects where batteries are already being used with EV charging infrastructure — a striking sign that co-located BESS is no longer only an experimental topic.

The bottleneck is shifting from chargers to energy

For years, fast charging was mainly discussed in terms of charger deployment, location, utilization and uptime. Today, the bottleneck is increasingly about energy: available grid capacity, power availability, grid fees and the ability to deliver higher charging speeds.

This becomes even more important as EVs become capable of higher charging power and as commercial vehicles bring much larger loads to charging sites.

The business case for co-located BESS

Ryan breaks down where the value of BESS can come from:

• avoiding or delaying grid upgrades
• reducing peak-demand charges
• enabling higher charging power on constrained grid connections
• shifting electricity consumption to cheaper hours
• supporting truck charging and large fleet operations
• preparing for future flexibility and ancillary service revenues

But the business case is highly market-specific. Tariff structures, electricity prices, utilization, subsidies and grid constraints all determine whether BESS makes financial sense.

Peak-demand charges and grid fees

One of the most important insights from the episode is that grid fees vary significantly by country, region and tariff structure. Some markets have peak-demand charges, some have time-of-use grid fees, and some have both.

Ryan explains that in certain markets, peak-demand charges are being reduced or temporarily removed to support charging infrastructure rollout. But the long-term challenge remains: how do you scale charging infrastructure without creating unsustainable grid costs?

Truck charging and megawatt charging

Truck charging is one of the strongest use cases for co-located BESS because the energy demand is much larger than passenger-car charging. A single truck can have a battery of several hundred kilowatt-hours, and high-power charging for fleets can quickly create major grid requirements.

The discussion also touches on BYD’s battery-backed megawatt charging rollout in China, which could significantly influence the global average size and architecture of battery-supported charging sites.

Can cheap batteries change where charging sites are built?

Ryan’s answer is clear: yes.

If battery costs continue to fall — or if operators can access grants and subsidies — BESS can make new types of charging locations viable. This is particularly relevant for existing fuel retail sites, depots, and high-traffic locations where the commercial case is strong but the grid connection is weak.

With batteries, a site that previously lacked sufficient grid power may still be able to offer high-power charging.

BloombergNEF’s 2026 EV Outlook

The conversation also connects BESS with the broader findings from BloombergNEF’s 2026 Electric Vehicle Outlook.

Ryan highlights growth in Europe, developments in Southeast Asia, progress in heavy-duty trucking, and emerging questions around robotaxis. The outlook also looks at electricity demand from EVs and the grid investment needed to support transport electrification.

One important point: EVs will become a meaningful driver of grid investment, but they are only one part of a wider picture that also includes aging grids, data centers, general electricity demand growth and electrification in other sectors.

The future charging business case

Ryan explains that the future competitive landscape for CPOs will not only be about who has the best location or the most chargers.

It will also be about:

• who can deliver higher charging powers
• who can manage electricity costs
• who can optimize grid capacity
• who can integrate batteries effectively
• who can combine charging with retail, amenities or other site-level business models

A good charging site today could be overtaken tomorrow by a better-located, better-optimized, higher-power and more energy-efficient competitor.

Key takeaway

Co-located BESS is not a universal solution for every charging site.

But cheap batteries, grid constraints, higher charging power and the rise of truck charging are changing the EV charging business case. For many CPOs, batteries will become a strategic tool to reduce costs, unlock constrained sites, improve charging performance and prepare for future flexibility markets.

The smartest operators will not wait until every business case is obvious. They will start understanding where BESS fits, which sites are suitable, and how to build the technical stack needed to scale when the economics become attractive.

Listen to the full episode

Listen to the full conversation with Ryan Fisher from BloombergNEF to understand how cheap batteries are changing EV charging infrastructure — and what this means for CPOs, fleet operators, truck charging, grid constraints and the future of fast charging.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a colleague working in EV charging, batteries, fleet electrification or energy infrastructure.

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Resources mentioned

• BloombergNEF report: How Cheap Batteries Are Helping EV Charging Scale
• BloombergNEF Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026:

You can get more information on our website.

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