Charge Management Software (CMS) to Streamline Your EV Fleet
Electric vehicle (EV) fleets are becoming a more pivotal component of business strategies, offering a variety of benefits to companies across various industries. The adoption of EVs aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainability, helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to environmental conservation.
Beyond being eco-friendly, electric car fleets offer economic advantages, including lower operational costs through reduced fuel expenses and maintenance requirements. Companies investing in electric vehicle technology not only position themselves as leaders in corporate social responsibility but also enjoy long-term financial gains.
Making the transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs can be a daunting task for businesses. The most challenging task for most fleets is charging vehicles. Gaining access to EV charging infrastructure can be a lengthy process and integrating charging into your operations can be challenging. Charge management software (CMS) can help make the switch to electric vehicles much easier to help your business maximize efficiency and optimize costs.
First, you’ll need to understand what electric vehicle charge management software does to be able to properly utilize it for your fleet.
Let’s dive in!
What is Charge Management Software (CMS)?
Charge management software (CMS) is a platform that is designed to manage electric vehicle charging and charging stations. There are a variety of platforms that offer different functions such as energy management, charger maintenance, and vehicle data.
Understanding EV Fleet Operations
Fleets adding electric vehicles will encounter several key challenges, reflecting the unique characteristics of electric mobility. Some of the most common hurdles include:
Limited Charging Infrastructure
Lead times for charging stations can take as long as 2 years depending on your location and needs. Insufficient charging infrastructure hinders the range and flexibility of fleet operations.
Upfront Costs
The initial investment required for purchasing electric vehicles and installing charging infrastructure can be significantly higher compared to traditional fleet options. Depending on the level of charging needed, costs for traditional electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and installation can be up to $100,000+ per charging station.
Maintenance and Repairs
While electric vehicles generally have fewer moving parts and require less maintenance, fixed charging stations need to be regularly maintained to ensure maximized uptime. On average fixed EV charging stations experience 35% downtime.
Fleet operators need to navigate these challenges to efficiently optimize operations. New technologies are constantly being deployed in the EV industry to help businesses increase the efficiency of their fleets.
Mobile EV Charging Solutions for Electric Fleets
SparkCharge has pioneered mobile charging-as-a-service (CaaS) to help fleets navigate the challenges of going electric. They combine their mobile charging service, SparkCharge Fleet, with their all-in-one charge management software (CMS), SparkCharge Connect, to make the transition from gas to electric seamless for businesses.
SparkCharge Fleet is a turnkey EV charging service that delivers DC fast charging (DCFC) directly to the fleet vehicle at any time in any location. This service was designed to eliminate the long lead times and lengthy construction periods associated with installing fixed infrastructure.
In addition to reducing long lead times, SparkCharge Fleet also significantly reduces upfront costs. Fleet owners save on the costs of permitting and construction due to the grid-free charging technology that SparkCharge created.
With the Spark Charge Fleet service, fleet managers never have to worry about charger maintenance and repairs. SparkCharge manages all EVSE to ensure a 99.9% charger uptime, so your vehicles will always be charged and ready to go.
SparkCharge Connect is the platform that powers all of SparkCharge’s CaaS programs. This CMS is an important tool for fleet managers to streamline their fleet operations.
Charge Management Software Benefits
CMS implementation is crucial for fleet management solutions in the era of electric vehicles. This technology streamlines the charging process, ensuring efficient energy management for fleets.
SparkCharge’s CMS platform, SparkCharge Connect, provides real-time vehicle monitoring and tracking capabilities, enabling fleet managers to oversee charging activities, identify usage patterns, and optimize charging schedules.
SparkCharge Connect also enables fleet operators to order charge deliveries in one of three ways: on a recurring schedule, automated when state of charge (SOC) is low, or on-demand when needed. Booking/Ordering charges directly through the platform reduces downtime by allowing for strategic charging during periods of lower demand, minimizing operational disruptions.
The data analytics features of SparkCharge Connect empower businesses to make informed decisions, enhancing overall fleet performance and sustainability. Offering a centralized solution for monitoring and controlling charging activities, not only contributes to cost savings but also plays a pivotal role in the successful integration and management of electric vehicle fleets within a broader operational context.
While integrating EVs into daily operations can be a difficult task, innovations in the industry are geared toward making the transition easier and more efficient. Using a CMS tool in your fleet management helps to reduce those challenges and streamline EV operations to increase your ROI.
To learn more about how SparkCharge can help your fleet operations optimization efforts, talk to one of our fleet charging experts!