Why software is more important than hardware in electric vehicle charging stations.

Electric cars are no longer the ugly stepchild. Consumers are looking for them, and automakers are rushing to produce better models, to compete with Tesla, and to meet consumer demand.

Summary:With this growth comes increased demand and the need for charging stations for electric cars. Many companies are working to build charging infrastructure and install stations in parking lots to support (and generate additional revenue from) the growing number of electric cars on the road.

But are they doing it right? While many property and business owners looking to install charging stations are concerned about the hardware, it's just as important, if not more important, to consider the software that will power the charging stations they install.

Electric car sales still look strong

Despite the setback caused by COVID-19, electric vehicle sales are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels in a relatively short period of time: between 2017 and 2018, global electric vehicle sales will grow by 65%, and according to a Bloomberg study, electric vehicles will account for 20% of all car sales by 2025 According to the Bloomberg study, electric vehicles will account for 10% of all car sales by 2025, 28% by 2030, and 50% by 2040. This exponential growth means that this is a huge opportunity for manufacturers of charging stations for electric vehicles. Judging by the number of stations owned, the maturity of the company, and the optimism of Wall Street investors, some believe the company has a bright future ahead of it.

Don't get hung up on finances alone

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Before deciding to partner with a manufacturer, you need to know more than the company's business model and intended physical presence. As more and more consumers switch to electric vehicles, it is becoming more and more important for charging station owners to have charging stations. Software to power devices on open networks. Many manufacturers choose to tie their customers to their own software. While at first glance this is a move in favor of manufacturers, in the long run closed networking software hinders companies and owners by limiting them to one type of equipment.

Advantages of an open charging network

An open system works with any Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) compliant device. This flexibility provides benefits every step of the way. You can choose from a wide range of equipment vendors during the initial installation and add new stations later without sacrificing software performance or control. The open EV charging network also benefits the entire EV charging industry. This is because greater access to charging stations of different brands will accelerate the expansion of the overall infrastructure and increase efficiency.

Open systems provide a more reliable infrastructure

Despite the very optimistic outlook for the EV charging station market (especially given the reluctance of many to return to public transit after the pandemic), there are still serious concerns about the reliability of EVs and EV charging stations. Much has been said about range familiarity. This is another benefit of open networked software solutions that provide greater flexibility for specific equipment, giving businesses and property owners greater flexibility to expand their infrastructure to serve more drivers.

Start your software journey with ENERGY5

Yes, it's important to get the charging stations themselves built right, but once they're installed, most of the interaction happens with the software that manages them ENERGY5 offers an intuitive networking platform that fits all types of electric vehicle business models and 24/7 customer support. ENERGY5 offers an intuitive networking platform suitable for all types of electric vehicle business models and 24/7 customer support. Whether you need a turnkey job or a complete custom installation, ENERGY5 has the experience and resources to get you started. Contact us today to see how we can help you.