29th November 2019 | Justin Godfrey-Cass, Business Development Manager
The EV tipping point…
Justin Godfrey-Cass, Head of Transport Solutions
As our roads, towns and cities become ever busier with traffic, the effect that the combustion engine has on local environments is more apparent now than ever before. Currently in the UK, 39% of cars on the road are diesel and 59% petrol. Over the last few years, air quality around us has lowered as pollution from transport has worsened – this, despite the efforts of many car manufacturers to reduce emissions.
Although there are plans to scrap diesel cars by 2040, the demand from consumers and authorities to bring more electric vehicles (EV) to market sooner than this date, is ever increasing.
From clean air zones to the EV eco-system…
To reduce pollution, cities in the UK are having to plan and legislate for the ban of diesel cars within certain areas. Bristol recently announced that it will be the first city in the UK to ban diesel cars from entering a Clear Air Zone (CAZ) between the hours of 7am and 3pm from 2021.
Bristol isn’t the only city to look at reducing air pollution from the streets. Leeds and Birmingham are also looking to charge drivers of diesel cars who enter these zones, and Glasgow councils want to ban pre-Euro 6 diesel cars1 from parts of the city centre entirely from 2022.
These clean air zones combined with factors such as societal environmental concern and green policies (such as government funding of EV charger installations in homes and workplaces) will drive a rapid growth of the EV market in the next 5 years. The market is under more pressure than ever to deliver a seamless, efficient and widespread eco-system for EV users as local authorities put plans in place to implement this change.
The need for more on-demand EV charging points and infrastructure have never been greater.
How specialist IoT connectivity helps build brand loyalty
For EV charge point operators (CPO’s), the rapid deployment of new installations comes with its own challenges – planning constraints, cost of installation, ease of access, and (critically) the need for resilient and highly secure two-way connectivity in locations where wired infrastructure isn’t always readily (and cheaply) available.
For CPOs to connect, maintain and manage their estate of EV charge points seamlessly, being able to remotely monitor and manage their assets is critical. Each EV charging point requires connectivity to the grid, user apps, charging systems, operational teams and back office systems. If something goes wrong, they need to know immediately to avoid revenue loss.
Just as a consumer would not expect a petrol station to run out of fuel, EV users expect a charge point to be in operation at all times, automatically recognising the user via systems such as Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), keeping their data secure and billing them accurately.
In an increasingly competitive landscape, a good charging experience will generate brand loyalty and repeat visits. The need for secure and reliable communication is why OEMs of charge points and CPO’s are turning to specialist cellular connectivity as their go-to bearer service.
Why specialist connectivity providers like Wireless Logic are key
Having worked with partners across the value chain for many years, at Wireless Logic we understand the needs and dynamics of the EV market better than anyone. A secure, reliable and always-on IoT solution is needed to ensure that EV operators can deploy, manage and remotely access every charge point at any time regardless of where they are in the world.
Flexibility of network choice, tariffs and contracts, rapid deployment, resilience/up time, 24/7 service and visibility of data usage are some of the key factors for our customers.
Many customers are now also turning to Wireless Logic non-steered roaming SIM solutions, which connect to the strongest signal and bandwidth available, without any bias to a primary mobile network. This gives operators and OEMs the opportunity to connect entire estates with just one SIM, regardless of location.
Lastly, securing mission critical data is also a key factor. Wireless Logic’s ready-made private infrastructure removes the need for customers to purchase their own private network support solutions which can be very expensive and take time to install. Our secure VPN solutions comply with Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) 1.6 & 2.0 and give security when communicating two-way with each charging point.
Get in touch to discover how we can help
The EV market is at a tipping point. The question is more around ‘when’ and ‘how fast’ it will grow, not ‘if’. And as the market grows, specialist IoT connectivity from providers like Wireless Logic will continue to be a key factor in the growth of the EV market across the value chain.
Find out more about our connectivity solutions for the EV sector, or get in touch to discuss with our connectivity experts.
