Coping with a Defunct Charger Firm
In October, Enel X Means North America introduced that it will stop its operations, leaving the corporate’s JuiceBox EV charger customers lower off from software program performance. Whereas server operations will proceed for an indeterminate interval and battery charging capabilities are nonetheless energetic, the corporate maintains that they may search a long-term resolution (but to be disclosed).
Though this information will not be precisely reassuring to these with JuiceBox cost stations, it means that there’s nonetheless time emigrate Enel X Means JuiceBox 40 EV chargers to a brand new cost station administration system (CSMS). No charging performance has been misplaced but, however that’s solely a query of time. Given the uncertainty, it’s essential to make a sound plan for long-term success to protect in opposition to the danger and chance that Enel X Means servers will shut down completely.
Listed here are three viable methods ahead for JuiceBox system house owners:
1. OCPP Platform Migration
Dozens of OCPP-based cost station administration platforms have come out of the woodwork because the information of Enel X’s withdrawal from the North American market. The businesses behind them are making numerous claims about their capacity to assist determined system house owners transfer the administration of their JuiceBox chargers to a brand new cloud administration platform. A few of these corporations are genuinely ready and have processes in place to handle such a migration. However many aren’t.
Many customers can be tempted by these CSMS supplier claims as a consequence of their low price and obvious simplicity–however they don’t seem to be with out potential pitfalls. Amongst them:
- Companion threat. What credentials and observe report does the answer supplier have? How lengthy have they been in enterprise, and may you make certain they are going to be there to help you lengthy after you transition to their platform? In case your charger is repointed to a third-party’s OCPP server and the Enel X backend service is discontinued, it’s potential that you simply won’t be able emigrate once more. If a migration is unsuccessful, you can be left in a worse scenario than earlier than. Subsequently, select a associate that gives a assure or guarantee for his or her companies.
- Hidden price. Credible software-only distributors providing migration companies will most likely require onsite personnel to replace firmware for every charger in your community. It will contain electricians or technicians working billable hours. Ensure you perceive what’s concerned in migration, other than a brand new SaaS subscription, earlier than going this route.
- Stability. OCPP platform migration might lead to new quirks and undesirable behaviors. Your gear can be operating experimental, doubtlessly unstable firmware, linked to a third-party server through Wi-Fi, with no official customer support out there.
2. Rip and Substitute
For some organizations, it could be well worth the time and expense of tearing out their Enel X gear and changing it utterly–however think about all prices first. Most gear suppliers in the marketplace cost greater than Enel X did for companies. This strategy is by far the most costly, requiring important gear and labor expense along with a brand new service subscription.
3. {Hardware}-Based mostly Cost Station Administration Methods (CSMS)
The very best of each worlds may be achieved with hardware-based CSMS options: by retrofitting current JuiceBox methods, customers can maintain the {hardware} and keep away from altering firmware of every particular person system (each expensive, time-consuming processes).
A hardware-based CSMS not solely protects your {hardware} funding, however re-enables the now-lost entry management, consumer administration, monetization and reporting options that EV cost station managers want to keep up environment friendly and cost-effective operations. This strategy additionally presents the next advantages:
- Reliable companions. Solely a handful of EVSE suppliers supply hardware-based CSMS options, and people who do have stood the check of time. For instance, Liberty Plugins has been in enterprise since 2009.
- Approachable price construction. Most hardware-based CSMS options are tailor-made to workplaces and multi-unit residences, the place customers want to regulate entry to chargers and invoice to be used, however don’t need or have to revenue from their charging.
- Versatile and upgradeable. Each EV charger has a lifespan, so when it’s time to interchange a JuiceBox or some other system, you are able to do so with out altering the way you handle your charging system. As a bonus, you possibly can add extra chargers of any sort, whether or not Stage 2 or DC quick chargers.
Because the preliminary shock wears off for JuiceBox customers, it’s essential to contemplate the entire choices for an economical, long-term plan for sustaining cost station operations. The cons are inclined to outweigh the professionals of migrating to cloud platforms, or fully changing methods, however retrofitting JuiceBox methods to a hardware-based CSMS permits better management, flexibility and, above all, reliability.
The put up Deserted No Extra: 3 Choices for Enel X Means Cost Station Operators first appeared on Clear Fleet Report.
