Challenges & opportunities for EV charging network development

After founding Solidstudio, Pawel was an originator in terms of pursuing expertise in eMobility. With the build-up of a solid knowledge-base on industry’s needs & wants, he now keeps a close eye on products’ development. He’s also hugely responsible for the business’ side and designs the business models for our products.

Paweł Małkowiak

Electric vehicles, much like any other industry, came a long way. With first-ever electricity-powered automobiles constructed back in 1830 all the way to Tesla becoming a global giant, the EV market noted a revolutionary headway. Despite the major milestone, the e-mobility industry still faces challenges that may not be overcome for yet another solid bit of time. Insofar as the transportation industry can be easily dubbed as one of the most advanced, the e-mobility sector itself has still a lot of work to put in, mostly in terms of infrastructure. As much as developing long-range EVs with rechargeable batteries is quite a task to get grips with, charging network is what really holds back the mass adoption worldwide. Although, seemingly perceivable as a straightforward action of intensifying large-scale installations of EV charging points across the nations, the issue is a lot more multi-dimensional. Namely, a few solid charging-oriented companies which are ready to manufacture and install charging stations is not enough. Behind the mass adoption, there are many interconnected elements, such as: governmental support through the implementation of various pro-electric policies and incentives i.e. in the form of tax reductions, progressive software development allowing for more user-friendly operation of charging stations, infrastructural changes backed up by local authorities, or simply extending people’s knowledge and awareness about environmental degradation the combustion engines cause and many more.

It goes without saying that developing a global network that would allow EV users to seamlessly travel from one place to another takes a large amount of workload and time. Even though there is still plenty of work ahead some major milestones and discoveries are already taking place.

In this article we want to give some insights into the EV network’s development and its current state around the world.

It wouldn’t be an in-depth discernment if we didn’t start off with elaborating a bit on the types of charging stations. Three main ones can be distinguished:

 being the fastest way to charge an EV, these stations are usually located along motorways and close to main roads. They come in handy en route especially during lengthy rides. Depending on the car’s brand, the capacity of such charges can reach even an 80% charge within 20-30 minutes while at 50+kW.

possibly most common ones, usually installed in business districts, offices, major car parks and urban areas where it’s usual to leave the car for approximately an hour. Their charging capacity oscillates at 1-2hour when at 22kW (most popular one).

known for being the most commonly used as home-chargers, rated up to 3kW. They are typically used for overnight charging, but occasionally found in offices where employees can charge their vehicle while at work. They take between 6-10h to fully charge the car.

It must be noted that we can differentiate more subtypes, especially when it comes to rapid chargers. With charging being one of the main focuses of the entire industry, brands keep on developing highly-efficient and very fast stations. That includes: UltraRapid DC which provides power at 100kW or Tesla’s Supercharger that can charge up to 150kW.

In the big game of charging stations it is most likely that the e-mobility future will be dominated by slow and fast charging stations due to their convenience and low-cost electricity. Although, it doesn’t change the fact that rapid chargers are the ones which will eventually alleviate the range-anxiety and might be the most prominent way of charging for branches such as taxis or buses.

Electric vehicles infrastructure doesn’t fail to ever grow and evolve. Yet, it’s somehow fallen into a vicious cycle of “there will be more charging stations when people buy more electric vehicles” vs “people will buy more electric vehicles when there are more available charging stations”.

Nevertheless, despite such unanswerable nuances, the infrastructure has been doing well in recent years. According to the most recent numerical data, as of 2019, there were 7.3 million chargers worldwide (6.5 million of which - private; light-duty vehicle slow chargers in homes, multi-dwelling buildings and workplaces). In terms of public charging points, which hold the 12% share in the overall number, it’s been noted that their amount increased up to 60% year on year. This figure exceeded even the electric light-duty vehicle stock growth. Such impressive expansion naturally has a lot to do with various policies advocating EV’s adoption.

Although the figures look very promising, there is one particular drawback and that is the distribution of ownership across the globe. Nearly 61% of all private-owned charging stations are located in two countries only. It must be noted that these are some major countries with large numbers of citizens, but still, it shows well how EV charging networks are falling behind in some areas of the globe.

The leadership of the pack stays with China, which holds top performance in almost all EV-related rankings. In terms of private charging points, the figures are as follows:

Publicly accessible charging stations are spread very similarly. With slight distinction for the Netherlands, which has 8% share of public chargers. Public charging points accounted for 12% of global light-duty vehicle chargers.

In terms of fast charging stations, China left no room for competitors, with a whooping 81% share.

This data clearly shows that a vast majority of charging networks is located within some specific areas, leaving the rest far behind. The superiority of China is dictated by various reasons. For instance, the popularity of fast charging stations in China is powered by the high demand due to its very dense urban areas as well as the impressive figures behind how many public service means of transport (i.e. buses) are in fact electric there. In other countries (mostly in EU top EV performers: Netherlands, Germany, UK, Sweden) the increased demand for electric vehicles has been fueled by heavy governmental incentivization. In the USA, Tesla played a huge role in shaping the drive for green cars.

Impact of Covid-19 on e-mobility progress

Pandemic outbreak is taking its toll on nearly every industry and so e-mobility also took a hit. Luckily, not a critical one. Coronavirus has rubbed the EV network the wrong way in two fields mostly. Firstly, it slowed down the manufacturing and development as many factories halted production and closed up for some time (same goes with batteries/chargers firms). Secondly, observable changes in traffic volume impacted the amount of cars on the roads, especially in big cities where the number of people working from home was the highest. Later, when in some of such areas, lockdown policies were being gradually loosened up, other restrictions were put forward limiting public transport capacities, simultaneously increasing the traffic and creating a difficult environment for EVs. This creates a space for local authorities to step in and take actions advocating for electric automobiles.

While touching upon potential challenges and opportunities for the industry, one must differentiate between the areas where e-mobility is doing well and those where it’s practically non-existent.

In the first instance, naturally a lot more opportunities emerge. With EV charging networks already greatly developed (China urban areas, Norway, California), electric vehicles on the streets are no longer a surprise. Namely, people are willing to purchase such means of transport, simply knowing that it will bring no difficulties in terms of usage and daily commute. This also drives the demand for ever-evolving development and implementation of new, more technologically advanced findings. Such an environment poses great opportunities for local entrepreneurs and companies. According to an old, well-known rule - where there's demand, there’s supply - business owners are not afraid to invest in the e-mobility market, knowing they will find partners and clients. This creates a self-fueled setting for a healthy competition followed up by constant development in charging infrastructure. It must also be noticed that certain areas, where e-Mobility plays a major role within the transportation industry, are doing so well due to significant incentivization by governments. Subsequently, local authorities, seeing their actions have a valid reflection on reality, are more likely to implement yet another facilities for EV industry, such as financial subsidies for companies who aim to broaden the EV charging network.

The situation looks drastically different in areas where EV charging network is limited to none. The focus there needs to be entirely on encouraging to start building any EV infrastructure in the first place. Again, here is where local authorities should come in with as many incentives and programs as possible in order to trigger interest in e-mobility investment. Without it being widely advocated and advertised, the likelihood of entrepreneurs reaching out to fund such investments is relatively low. As we all know, the first steps are the hardest, that way it certainly will take some time until favorable conditions arise. With that being said, the biggest challenge would be to engage local authorities, public transport managers and local companies to start implementing e-mobility solutions.

EV charging network is one multi-dimensional and complex topic. Its distribution across the globe remains uneven and dependent on numerous factors. In some parts of the world, electric vehicles have come a way long enough to freely say that the most prominent milestones have been already reached and it’s only now a matter of development. Other countries are in their infacies and still have lots of work to put forward. Nevertheless, the future generally looks bright for EVs and the entire industry is excited of what’s yet to come.

A revolutionary road to the next big step progressing EV charging network development. What's next?

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Ebook - The Growing concept of e-Mobility

Two actively supported independent open standards for EV roaming.

Being an eMobility leader in various projects across multiple startups, Piotr was responsible for OCPI and OCPP integration as well as EMP and CPO platforms development. With extensive expertise in the open standards field and eMobility tech solutions, he is leading teams of experienced developers and contributing with invaluable knowledge and experience.

Piotr Majcher

In a search for interoperability, the e-mobility market players need to speak the same language. Demand for coherent infrastructure is dictated by rapid EV penetration. Several factors, such as local policies and incentives, contribute to an enthusiastic approval of electrically-powered vehicles. Hence, the focus has been transferred to the network and its ability to create open, accessible infrastructure. To match the pace - resonate with market expectations and work together to create an accessible, open environment - the new order needs EV roaming.

EV roaming is something users cannot see but witness, and whether knowingly or not, appreciate. Open standards create the road to consistent and complete e-roaming. With a large pool of contributors, up-to-date and secure solutions are available at hand to any participant in the rapidly growing e-mobility market. To understand the role of open standards in e-mobility here are explanations for widely approved models.

Note: In the e-mobility world there are four main open standards facilitating e-roaming. Two are developed and maintained by non-commercial hub operator and independent knowledge board - OCPI Open Charge Point Interface and OCHP - Open Clearing House Protocol & OCHPDirect. Two others were developed by commercial roaming hub operators. These are OICP Open InterCharge Protocol designed by Hubject and eMIP - eMobility Interoperation Protocol maintained by GIREVE.


Originally developed by eViolin, a Dutch association of Charging Station Operators and eMobility Service Providers, that pursues national roaming with international connection, using open standards. In cooperation with ElaadNL -  the knowledge and innovation center in the field of Smart Charging and the charging infrastructure in the Netherlands - major Dutch grid operators. Initially governed by the Nederlands Kennisplatform Laadinfrastructuur (NKL) - Netherlands Knowledge Platform for Public Charging Infrastructure - a partnership of business organizations, governmental figures, and research institutes. From May 2020 the OCPI is managed and maintained by the EVRoaming Foundation. Open Charge Point Interface offers p2p and any roaming hub integration business model.

OCPI is registration-free, openly available at no cost. Published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License. Hence, the distribution is free when given proper credit. Although blocks the distribution of the modified versions of the protocol. The most recent version (v2.2) was released in October 2019. Open Charge Point Interface offers a modular set-up, a very convenient way of deployment - it is up to the individual decision which modules to include. It also covers a variant check, a significant factor for peer-to-peer mutuality as there is no fundamental actor applying updates or completing to support previous protocol versions.

Open Charge Point Interface is the only, so far, set on JSON/rest and is a real-time protocol. It maintains synchronous and asynchronous operations.

Open Charge Point Interface carries multiple explications for Eichrecht (German calibration law for electric vehicle charging), as recommended by the top European e-mobility providers - Has-to-be, Alfen, eBee, and Mennekes. In March 2021 EVRoaming Foundation announced the start of the first independent Roaming Agreement pool. The organization aims to support setting up trusted agreements between parties, for either p2p or via a (virtual) roaming Hub. The pool is available for all Full Contributors (The foundation distinguishes the following membership classification categories: Full Contributor, Associate Contributor, Sponsors, and Managing Contributors).

The protocol’s documentation describes market roles as follows:

The EV user connects to a charge point in can be provided information from the MSP

The e-mobility service provider (eMSP), grants EV services to EV users. eMSP connects to Charge Point Operator (CPO) to offer e-roaming services.

The CPO manages, maintains, and operates charge points (charge stations), on the technical and administrative side. CPO is open to connecting to MSPs to offer roaming services.

The e-mobility service provider ensures charge point location information.

The eMSP influences smart charging sessions depending on extra sources of information.

The purpose of a roaming hub is to facilitate information exchange between market players. In this division Open Charge Point Interface supports:

Roaming via hub - OCPI facilitates data exchange between eMSPs and CPOs via hubs, for this operation, the protocol offers a separate hub supporting module.

Roaming peer-to-peer (p2p) - Both eMobility Service Providers and Charge Point Operators can correlate immediately via OCPI. Separate interfaces are designed for eMSPs and CPOs.

Authorization - The token module in the OCPI architecture supplies Charge Point Operators with the knowledge of any token information of eMSP. There are two ways to execute authorization, which could be real-time or via a whitelist.

Reservation - On the eMSP side, the OCPI offers to make and cancel a reservation.

Billing - OCPI supports the basis for invoicing - sending CDRs - Charge Detail Records.

Tariff information - The protocol supports the exchange of the key details related to energy tariffs. Complex tariff calculations depend on the time charged and energy. All this information is included in the tariff module.

Static charge point information - This covers: IDs, CPOs, charge point site, host, charge point name, charge point location details (name, address, geocode, type, image, platform level, directions), nearby facilities, link to a website, time zone, opening times, current availability status, scheduled availability status, accessibility, tariffs, authorization modes, payment methods, terms and conditions, charge mode, connector type, maximum power, voltage, amperage, energy mix, remote start/stop, reservation, smart charging support, and the last update mark.

Real-time charge point information - Stats: available, blocked, charging, inoperative, out of order, planned, removed, and reserved.

Session information (real-time & static) - Covers: sessions ID, start time, end time, energy consumed, CDR ID, authorization method, location, charge point ID, meter ID, currency, charging periods, total cost, sessions status, and last update. The same information can also be in real-time.

CDR information - CDR IDs, time, duration, finish status, and more.

Callibration law (Eichrecht) support - OCPI maintains the exchange of signed meter data which can be used to conform to Eichrecht - German calibration law.

Remote start/stop - The start and stop of any charging session can be done remotely via the eMSP app.

Smart charging - Several charging profiles are supported by OCPI: the cheapest charging, the fastest charging, the most environmentally-friendly charging, or no particular choices. The preferences can be registered per session by the user. The CPO can accept or decline the option. Although the smart charging profile module does provide certain options, these cannot be ensured, since other factors influence the charging session.

OCPI’s ultimate goal is to allow any EV driver to charge at any charging station in the EU. In fact, the protocol is used intensively throughout Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Poland), but not limited. It also gains recognition, among others, in the USA, Canada, South Africa, and India. The protocol is gaining acceptance in ever-widening circles and the number of countries is steadily increasing.

OCHP - Open Clearing House Protocol and OCHPDirect

OCHP is the second protocol that offers a hub or p2p connection. Integration with hubs is done via OCHP, and the direct peer-to-peer connection is possible with OCHPDirect. The solution is maintained and expanded by Smartlab Innovationsgesellschaft GmbH.

and ElaadNL (ElaadNL also supports aforementioned OCPI), organizations established by German and Dutch entities. OCHP is used by the roaming hub e-clearing.net (e-clearing.net also offers connectivity via mentioned above OCPI) operated by Smartlab and owned by Smartlab and ElaadNL. As a not-for-profit platform, the main interest of e-clearing.net is to develop the e-mobility market. Both available current versions OCHP v1.4 and OCHPDirect v0.2.6 were released in August 2016 (In October 2020 OCHP introduced to members the newest update 1.5, but no further public information was provided, the valid version remains 1.4).

The OCHP documentation is free to download and does not demand registration. Thanks to the MIT license, the protocol allows for open distribution and alteration. The administration of the OCHP lies on the Smartlab/ElaadNL side, which has the remaining right to apply and execute edits to the protocol. Prior and complete implementation testing needs to be conducted before a participant gains access to the e-clearing.net roaming platform. To support a coherent development of the OCHP protocol each year developers collect user feedback.

The Open Clearing House Protocol is based on the SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) computer protocol. It largely relies on asynchronous communication (opposed to real-time communications, as for OCPI). For instance, e-clearing.net does not store transaction data. Instead of real-time authentication, OCHP forms lists of users who are allowed to authenticate. This approach allows avoiding a single point of failure (SPOF) - if the roaming hub breaks down, charging sessions remain active.

The OCHP protocol documentation describes the following market roles:

The EV user, that has a direct or indirect contract with an eMobility Service Provider, charges an EV at a charge point/charge station.

The eMSP grants access to charge points/charge stations to the EV owner. The eMSP provides the EV user access via an RFID card or certificates. The service is supported by CPOs. The CPO operates charge points and acts as a contract agent for the eMSP. Each charging session is settled between the eMSP and the CPO under agreed conditions.

The parking spot operator (PSO) owns and operates the parking spots with access to the charging infrastructure operated by the CPO. The PSO offers a parking spot where a charge point is located and can supply information on location and availability to the CPO.

The clearinghouse operator (hub operator), runs a software platform to enable data exchange between MSPs, CPOs, and NSPs*.

*The documentation of OCHP protocol also distinguishes the role of the Navigation Service Provider (NSP), similar or equivalent to the role of Charge Point Operator. It applies to service towards the EV user for searching, locating, and routing to charge points. The party may have contracts with CPOs or MSPs.

Roaming via hub - Hub’s roaming platform connects the associated partners. OCHP is used by the roaming hub e-clearing.net, but the documentation does not specify if the roaming hub should necessarily be run by e-clearing.net.

Authorization - EV owners are recognized by tokens. The eMSP supplies a list with contract IDs of registered EV users to the hub, that can later be downloaded by CPOs. If an EV is charged at a CPO, the operator’s system checks the ID against the roaming authorization list downloaded from the roaming hub.

Billing - Charge detail records (CDRs) collect charge data, hence CDRs describe the billing. The CPO exports the CDRs to the roaming hub. The hub performs a basic plausibility check. Correct CDRs are forwarded to the eMSP. In case the CDRs fail the validation of reliability check, are sent back to the CPO for the fixing. Besides, the roaming hub also archives CDRs.

Static charge point information - OCHP can be applied to show the charge point ID, CPO, charge point site owner, charge point location (name, address, geocode, type, image), nearby facilitates, link to a website, time zone, current status, scheduled availability status, accessibility, tariffs, authorization forms, payment options, charge mode, connector type, maximum power, guaranteed power, voltage, support phone number, reservation possibility, the maximum time for the reservation, languages of the interface, user feedback form, and the time of the last update. Besides, the tariff model can handle complex advanced tariff schemes based on time of the day, date, charged energy, charging speed, and duration based on input from CPO. The CPO supplies static charge point information to the roaming hub, which can be then processed and transferred to contracted EV owners by eMSP.

Real-time charge point information - OCHP provides the current status of a charge point (available, reserved, occupied, blocked, out of order, unknown). OCHP divides real-time from static data. The dynamic data is stored in a separate database, dedicated to this kind of access. Real-time charge point information is sent to the roaming hub, then is transferred to the signed users of an eMSP.

Session information - refers to CDR ID, charge point ID, token ID, contract ID, CDR status, start time, end time, duration, charge point address, charge point type, connector type, tariffs, meter ID, total cost, and currency.

Remote start/stop - Charging sessions can be controlled via an eMSP app.


The OCHPDirect (dedicated for p2p connections) supports the following functionalities:

Roaming peer-to-peer - Achieving e-roaming is possible without a connection with a hub.

Authorization - Charging sessions can be controlled via an eMSP app.

Real-time sessions information - Start of a charging session, end of a charging session, metering information, power management information, handy invoicing.

Remote start/stop - The charging process can be controlled when stationary started via the eMSP application.

E-clearing.net, unlike commercially orientated hubs, is an open platform that facilitates the exchange of roaming authorization, charge transaction, and charge point information data (all transactions are free). At the moment, e-clearing.net requires only a fee for joining the platform.


Why apply at least one open standard? To save time and open your network to a larger number of users, increase opportunities and reap profits. Or, in other words, applying open EV roaming charging software protects against being excluded from the market. Both, Open Charge Point Interface and Open Clearing House Protocol & OCHPDirect are classified as stable, reliable, and secure solutions. The growing number of countries that support the development and promotion of both solutions indicate openness, independence, and royalty-freedom. Open and modern approach contributes to fast penetration and enthusiastic approval. Many countries are in the early phase of charging infrastructure development. Open standards are meant to facilitate rapid growth and ensure up-to-date functionality.

OCPI and OCHP support installing a public open charging network

Open Charge Point Interface and Open Clearing House Protocol are developed and supervised by non-commercial organizations. Demand for roaming includes cross-border connectivity. The future of the open network will largely depend on the willingness of partners to collaborate and regulatory guidance. For instance, some countries already established conditions for operation on the domestic market. Slovakia requires new parties within three months of the commissioning of the recharging points, to be connected to any roaming platform that connects more than 80 operators. In Norway, Oslo authorities formed an open policy for sharing with third parties. Berlin expects every Charge Point Operator operating a recharging point in the public domain to register it in a central authentication platform managed by the city, offering access to the customers of each eMobility Service Provider under comparable conditions. To meet the conditions, it is necessary to open a network. Following the 2050 EU strategy, soon it might be mandatory to provide seamless connection on large networks in the Union.

An extensive scientific analysis of the four most commonly developed protocols in terms of the search for the ideal protocol can be found 

Two actively supported independent open standards for EV roaming. Discover cross-border e-mobility standards for accessible charging network.

EV roaming with open standards - OCPI and OCHP 

Poorly developed charging network is listed as the main barrier when buying an electric car

It is estimated that by 2030, the number of EVs on the roads globally would become dominant. 

, from 450,000 electric cars sold in 2015 to 2.1M in 2019. With the fast development of larger capacity batteries, its prices fall, and energy density, charging infrastructures need to keep up with a demanding rapid expansion. BloombergNEF estimates that in 20 years there will be 54M EVs on the roads globally. Of course, there are markets that witness faster EV coverage and adaptation (e.g. Europe with Norway leading the way here, and China) but it is predicted that by 2040 EVs in new car sales will be 58% worldwide.

Since we live in the user-centered era, cutting the edge charging network seems to be the next big challenge to quickly adapt, boost, and win the 

 Among potential EV consumers, a poorly developed charging network is listed as the main barrier when buying an electric car. However, the transition to clean energy is a must. With a governmentally declared reduction of carbon emissions, accessible charging points development gets a fast track. Different approaches are tested and developed in diverse markets. Here you can find the gathered leading charging options

What are the available charging options so far?


Two-way charging technology. When EV is charged, AC (Alternating Current) from the grid is converted to DC (Direct Current) power. Possible to be implemented by the EV’s owner or charger’s converter. What is more, this technology allows the energy stored in batteries to powerhouse/external load (V2H) or send it back to the grid (V2G)


Nothing new here, but some may not know that EVs wireless charging is possible. The vehicle’s battery can be empowered wirelessly by parking the car on a spot with a charger on the ground. Just like wireless phone chargers. Although, the amount of exchanged energy in these wireless systems notably outpaces a wireless cell phone charger, seems like a great challenge for startups developing them. These innovations must be 100% safe, certified solutions. One of the examples of a park & charge solution is Canadian startup 


A fully charged car in 20-60 minutes is possible, although the ultimate goal is to fully charge a vehicle in less than 10 minutes. Just like gasoline at the petrol station. For example, 

 is working on advanced super-fast charging technology without the influence of battery life. The pioneers like Tesla, ABB, ChargePoint, EVbox, and other OEMs and networks offer fast-charging stations. Among other obstacles associated with handling the huge power demanded, if not done correctly, fast charging can lead to faster battery degradation.


Similarly, just like power banks for mobile phones, startups are building portable charging systems for EVs. For example, 

 offers stackable batteries that can deliver up to 60-75 miles per full stack and work together to deliver the exact amount of range needed.


Since the most comfortable ways of charging EV is still overnight, for those who don’t have a garage or access to any charging station nearby, British startup 

 offers a solution for those who own or want to own an EV but lack a driveway. They pick up the car, bring it to a charging station, and bring it back to the owner the following morning, fully charged and ready to go solving the issue of charging in big cities.


With the technology that uses copper coils embedded under roads and connected to the electricity grid, along with receivers installed under vehicles the dynamic charging is being in deployment in Sweden for E-bus with a Super- Capacitor battery and a heavy Duty E-Truck with a Li-Ion battery. Yet another EV charging resolution proposed by 

 Similar projects also take place in Germany and Israel.

With the most common charging option on the market comes three main types of EV charging: rapid, fast, and slow. These represent the power outputs, and hence charging speeds, available to charge an EV. Each charging device type has an associated set of connectors that are designed for low- or high-power use, and for either AC or DC charging.

Rapid or super-fast chargers enable to recharge an EV up to 80% in 20 min to 1 hour, depending on the battery capacity. With 50 kW DC charging is possible on one of two connector types using either the CHAdeMO or CCS charging standards, 43 kW AC charging on one connector - Type 2 standard, 100+ kW DC ultra-rapid charging is possible on one of two connector types: CCS or CHAdeMO. All rapid units have tethered cables.

The majority of fast chargers provide AC charging. A 7 kW charger will recharge a compatible EV with a 40 kWh battery in 4-6 hours, and a 22 kW charger in 1-2 hours. Fast chargers are often placed at car parks, supermarkets, or recreation centers, where you are likely to be parked for an hour or more. Fast chargers include: 7kW fast charging on one of three connector types, 22kW fast charging on one of three connector types, 11kW fast charging on Tesla Destination network. Units are either untethered or have tethered cables. Fast charge is the most common public charge point standard, and most plug-in car owners will have a cable with a Type 2 connector charger-side.

Slow chargers are mostly used at home because overnight charging takes from 6 up to 12 hours. There are 3 kW – 6 kW slow charging units on one of four connector types either untethered or have tethered cables, meaning that a cable is required to connect the EV with the charge point.

Most EVs are equipped with two cables for slow and fast AC charging; one with a three-pin plug and the other with a Type 2 connector charger-side. Both are fitted with a compatible connector for the car’s inlet port. These cables allow an EV's owner to connect to most untethered charge points, while the use of tethered units requires using the cable with the correct connector type for the vehicle. With the growing EV market and demand for proper, open, and accessible charging points in public spaces manufacturers, eMobility Service Providers, and Charge Point Operators will have to meet halfway in order to build one, effective, and benefiting for each participant, standardized eMarket. Before new forms of EV charging become an undisturbed daily routine 

 provide great value in creating an extensive charging network.

In need of EV charging infrastructure

Everything is "E" but what's the deal with it?

Krzysztof is our Head of Products and he leads the technical development behind the suite of our ready-made solutions. Throughout the years in Solidstudio, he gained an invaluable insight into the eMobilty industry’s requirements and is now more than qualified to share his knowledge with others.

Krzysztof Ciombor

From convenient new ways of ticket purchasing, traffic alerts, and accessible forms of public & private transport to search for long-distance connections. In recent years mobility as a service rapidly gained popularity. Now, since we face huge global crises, accelerated by the dynamic society evolution, it might be a good moment to take charge of the growing service sector. With zero-emission declarations, new forms of green energy supplies, dynamic e-sector development, and top-down state regulations MaaS quickly evolve into eMaaS - 

. How to adapt and take advantage of still unexplored territories?

Several factors contributed to the success of mobility as a service. Since smartphones took over the world, the ways we consume goods changed. Development in the area of research and design of user-friendly solutions launched a space for new business models. With easy access to the net, growth of new transport options available, and car limits in city centers, owning particular properties became an unnecessary cost generator. MaaS became an innovative mobility concept, offering the possibility to get from A to B in an elastic, custom, on-demand, and straightforward way, often through a single interface.

MaaS owes its success to a user-centric focus and a different benefit package. As a service mobility allows passengers to choose the most suitable transportation dictated by their personal views and current circumstances. It could be price, rapidity, distance, weather conditions, or carbon footprint. Each user values a different available option. Powered by excellent frontend MaaS can provide various possibilities combining public transportation with solutions assured by the private sector. Supported by backend MaaS can deliver a huge dataset of transport preferences at different times of day and year. This will lead to a better understanding of user behavior and offered alternatives modeling.

With this growing concept of MaaS, the distributed transportation industry receives insight into the use of means of transport. Using a shared & integrated interface of transportation will lead to yet another value - a cheaper fee as “one journey” instead of paying a higher fee at each point. For vendors, this will mean shared fixed costs, a source of data for better business decisions, and new growth opportunities.

Electric mobility as a service ecosystem is a resultant of the earlier concepts solving common big city and mobility challenges, such as growing population, air pollution, increased pedestrianization, car-free zones, access to e-charging stations, and becoming environmentally friendly. Dictated by the transition to greener solutions there has been a rapid evolution of MaaS to eMaaS, which combines:

Shared, Electric Mobility Services (SEMS)

with the technical capability to design and develop a user-centric solution, market adaptation, and business skills to make the product rock in a sustainable way. eMaaS as a concept integrates the chopped up market of mobility options like e-car, e-bike, and ride-sharing, combining with public transport. With a major purpose to replace fossil-fuelled cars and increase the usage of zero-emission mobility assets.

In highly competitive markets shared services take the lead, providing value for each participant. Electric mobility as a service has a better chance to excel, also thanks to government actions and statements of the biggest players on the market. Reduction of exhaust emissions, maintenance, and development of new green energy sources, as well as e-form of transport, create new markets.

Changes caused by external factors will require top crafted technologies for a seamless run, thoughtful, engaging design, and easy compatibility for further development and maintenance. 

 delivered to the market will lay the foundations for prospective integrated systems. The duty of those in charge of e-development will be to skillfully select experienced partners supporting e-solutions. And lastly, designing solutions for future eMaaS integration demands not only tech but also a set of soft skills with a forward-looking approach.

We face yet another revolution. It’s e-revolution, that sets a challenge to deliver an innovative, e-solution so distinctive, that will give the advantage of creating exceptional value to users. And at the same time remaining easy to adapt on a large scale. Many factors determine the competitive advantage or even the success of e-mobility ventures. Government support programs, increased social awareness & approval, IT capabilities become key drivers on the road to create outstanding conditions for e-development.

Electric mobility as a service, with its all participants - suppliers, owners, and recipients - creates an extensive system of connected vessels, forming a powerful framework for e-business development.

Everything is "E" but what's the deal with it? Find out what eMaaS is all about.

EV charging network - where to go next?

14 APRIL 2021 • 9 MIN READ