If electric vehicle adoption continues to accelerate at its current rate, EVs could account for more than half of US car sales by 2030. As the world gets serious about the impact that gas-powered cars have on the environment, electric vehicles are gaining popularity as a promising alternative. But for EVs to take hold as the new standard of transportation, charging infrastructure is absolutely critical. That’s where EV charging management software comes in: these tech solutions turn cold hardware into powerful fuel stations and will help make EV charging networks as commonplace as local gas stations.
In this article, we’ll look at how EV charging management solutions work to create and support the infrastructure necessary for property managers, network operators, fleet leaders, and individual drivers to keep their businesses running, their cars on the road, and their batteries full.
What is EV charging management software?
EV charging management software is technology that allows for the management and optimization of electric vehicle charging operations. Fleet operators, property managers, and other providers can use EV charging management software as their mission control center. Having a single solution helps to unify all the many factors that contribute to safe, effective, and reliable EV infrastructure. Those factors can vary depending on the use case, but often include things like distributing energy load, tracking charging activity, processing payments, etc.
Who needs EV charger management software?
The fragmented nature of modern EV infrastructure means there are many situations in which EV charging management software is not just useful, but critical.
Electric fleets
As electric vehicles become more popular, transportation services and logistics companies are increasing their investment in EV technology. From rideshare services that exclusively use electric vehicles to shipping companies dedicated to carbon neutral operations, EV fleets are on the rise. And each fleet has countless moving parts to manage, from keeping every car, bus, and truck fully charged to managing power consumption to protect the grid and keep costs low. EV charger management software ticks those boxes, while also integrating with in-depth vehicle tracking to give managers a bird’s eye view on the needs, patterns, and habits of each driver or each vehicle type.
Public charge points
Although electric vehicle owners typically have charge points installed in or close to their homes, charging while on the road is a top priority. In the same way that gas-powered car drivers need to know where the nearest gas station is, EV drivers need to be able to find a charge point in a pinch. That’s why residential and commercial real estate owners, property managers, and public business owners can all benefit from EV charger management software. The right solution allows managers to prevent property-wide outages and protect the charging hardware by distributing power load, control who can access a given charge point and for how long, and offer seamless and secure payment options for different user types.
Charging network operators
While some charging networks are centered around a single hardware type or manufacturing company, others are cobbled together from various charge point devices. It’s a widely held belief that making it easier to use electric vehicles will help usher in the new EV norm, so network operators have scrambled to bring sustainable power to the (soon-to-be) EV-driving masses. Infrastructure providers need to be able to unify all the charge points that operate with a single system that empowers both management teams and the EV drivers tapping into their networks. That’s where EV charging management software comes into play, unifying charging management regardless of the hardware components being used throughout the system.
ChargeLab’s Charging Station Management System (CSMS) is a central hub for every category of EV infrastructure operations. The open, interoperable, hardware-agnostic platform supports user management, revenue collection, load distribution, cost tracking, and so much more. Contact us today to learn more about ChargeLab’s operating system for EV charging.
5 key features of EV charging management solutions
Here’s what to look for when picking the right software for your use case.
- Energy management: Power consumption is a two-fold concern, since usage affects both the charging hardware and the site where it is located. Look for load balancing capabilities that incorporate charger grouping, vehicle priorities, electricity prices, etc.
- Payment processing: There are many possible ways to process charge station payments, but you should be able to handle them all through your charging management software. Look for a solution that lets you set end-user fees and securely collect PCI-compliant credit card payments.
- Fleet management: It’s important for fleet leaders to be able to integrate charging resource management and everyday vehicle operations within a single platform. That way, ground operators, dispatchers, technicians, and drivers can all collaborate toward providing efficient and uninterrupted service at a fair price and with a full charge.
- Hardware monitoring: Even with the best software in place, EV infrastructure is only useful if its charge stations are operational. Look for EV charging station management software that offers 24/7 automatic notifications in response to network errors, charger faults, etc.
- User management: Controlling who can access an EV charging network or a specific charging station is a question of both security and service. While fleet operators need to ensure that only authorized drivers can gain access to their depot’s charging stations, for example, residential property managers need to be able to determine who can plug in, when, and for how long. EV charging management software should allow you to set permissions based on custom user groups, like residents, employees, and fleet operators.
ChargeLab has helped countless businesses improve their EV operations with our best-in-class EV charging management software. With a hardware-agnostic approach and countless features built to support every element of EV infrastructure, we support electric fleets, public and corporate charge stations, multi- and single-family solutions, and more. Contact us today to learn what ChargeLab’s Charging Station Management System can do for your business.
