Supervision is essential for optimising the management of your electric charging station network. It allows you to monitor energy consumption, diagnose faults, manage access, collect customer data, handle billing, and keep the internal software of the stations up to date. Is it possible to switch supervision operators? What are the steps and timelines to consider? Driveco explains.
Objective: Optimise the management of your infrastructure
The decision to switch electric charging station operators is usually driven by the desire to optimise the supervision of the network. Some operators offer advanced supervision systems and services, such as 24/7 assistance, a wide network of integrated stations, or the ability to turn free stations into paid ones to generate revenue. In these cases, rigorous supervision is crucial to fully optimise the installation and ensure a quality service for users. By choosing the right operator, station owners can significantly enhance the user experience and the profitability of their charging infrastructure.
Switching operators: Is it complicated?
Supervision of electric vehicle charging stations can be managed by the station owner or by a third-party operator..
- If you own your stations and have chosen to manage supervision internally: it is very easy to delegate this task to an operator to save time or optimise the process.
- If you initially entrusted the supervision of your network to an operator: : you also have the option to reconsider your choice and entrust supervision to a new operator. Thanks to fixed-term contracts, you have the flexibility to regularly reassess your needs and change providers if necessary. At the contract’s end or after termination you can take the opportunity to select a new operator that better meets your service quality, supervision functionality, or pricing requirements.
”Thanks to the expertise of our teams and years of experience, we are familiar with the vast majority of models and can quickly step in to take over supervision.
Sofiane BelkhodjaCTO de Driveco
The audit: A crucial step before switching
Before any supervision takeover, the new operator will need to conduct an on-site audit to determine the takeover procedure and its cost. “The aim of this audit is to inspect the installation to ensure it complies with electrical safety standards and, if necessary, identify any technical changes required explains Sofiane Belkhodja, CTO of Driveco. The client’s needs and their compatibility with the existing equipment on site are also assessed“. The brand and model of the stations, as well as their quantity, are analysed to gain the best technical understanding of the network. “Thanks to our teams’ expertise and years of experience, we are familiar with most models, which allows us to know what steps need to be taken – and this process is usually quite fast. If this is not the case, we contact the manufacturer on the client’s behalf to offer a turnkey solution.”
During this stage, the electric charging stations are tested. Their connectivity is indeed a crucial prerequisite for a supervision takeover by a new operator. “If this option is not available and the station is modular, it is possible to upgrade the equipment with a compatible modem to integrate it into the supervision tool” adds Matthieu Jean-Baptiste, Operations and Maintenance Manager at Driveco. In such a case, the operator’s sales team provides a quote for purchasing and installing this equipment. However, if the station is deemed obsolete, its replacement may be recommended.
The new on-site configuration
Each operator has their own supervision system, which allows them to manage the stations and record operational data. When switching operators, the electric charging station must be configured to connect to this new system. Like a mobile phone, each station has a unique identifier, which will be used to recognise and integrate the equipment into the new supervision platform.
The configuration, carried out using this identifier, is done on-site. The technical team connects to the station via a computer and performs the configuration according to the client’s desired options.
How long does it take to switch supervision operators?
“Once the commercial agreement is validated by the contract signing, and if the charging installation is already operational, the operator switch can be completed in just a few days“, details Matthieu Jean-Baptiste. However, when the network is ageing or if equipment is faulty, ordering materials to bring the stations up to standard may extend the timelines.
The conditions for a successful operator change, in brief:
– Active involvement of the requesting client,
– Completion of a detailed technical audit,
– Provision of all documentation (invoices, technical documentation, manufacturer’s contact details),
– Internal expertise of the operator.
