See our friendly reminder about the importance of software in eMobility services.

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

As the post-conference feeling is still in the air after the International Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exhibition in Oslo, there are also many interesting observations and remarks.

The first that comes to mind is definitely how far has eMobility come in the last few years. And it’s been a long ride filled with innovation and groundbreaking changes implemented one by one. The progress in hardware is astounding to the point where some of the devices could merit a sci-fi label. From new-world chargers powering an electric truck at 1.5 MWh, to electric helicopters looking a bit like flying cars, it’s free to say that eMobility is here to stay and such events are the best proof.


Electric helicopter showcased at EVS35 conference in Oslo

What was also a bit surprising is that amongst hundreds of hardware and business exhibitors, there were very few representatives of the software side behind all of it. And yet, it plays a huge role in making it all possible.

Sure thing, possibly the most important aspect behind the mass EV adoption are the cars and the chargers. It’s what attracts the customer first and makes one join the green side of transportation. However, one must remember that it is the digital products that run the EV show in the background.

Charging networks, especially smart ones (aka the ones that bring the most opportunities to the field), can be deemed “smart” solely because of the backend platforms enabling the data exchange between a car, a charger and energy provider. 

run the entire charging station pools remotely, with the use of such programs in a way that ensures a seamless continuity of operation, even when there’s a high demand or minor issues.

 is still one of the biggest eMobility obstacles, reassurance in a smooth charging networks operation is one of the crucial steps to take in order to dispel doubts about it.

 - the figures that take care of the end-users, EV drivers. Most charging stations can be utilized from start to finish via the use of a dedicated app. Electric vehicle users now can not only start charging and get billed from the comfort of their phones, but also perform actions such as a charger reservation or price optimization depending on a tariff. It’s a facility necessary to promote EVs, giving their owners a peace of mind on longer routes as well as daily commute.

Software also runs the charging from a wider perspective. As there are numerous Charge Point Operators and eMobility Service Providers across the regions, a way has been found to unify their services so that they can serve as many EV drivers as possible. eRoaming comes into play allowing for multi-dimensional connection between operators and EV drivers.

In short, eRoaming can be established via the use of hubs and protocols. A hub here can be an open platform which, after subscribing, can be used by many operators, who operate on common terms. This all happens in such a way that a certain charging pool introduced to a common hub can then be easily used by clients (EV drivers) of different providers. Such a solution allows electric vehicle users to charge their car across cities/countries with limited hussle. The solution is entirely facilitated through a complex cloud-like backend system.

Software plays a big role also in keeping the energy distribution as sustainable as it gets. Through the backend smart charging facilities, charging stations can monitor and adjust electricity used so that the grid remains safe from overrunning its capacities. What’s more it’s also the digital products that, to a great extent, allow for V2G technology. Namely, one of the smart charging features facilitates the process of pushing the extra energy from an EV’s battery back to the grid, ensuring no energy is wasted and rooting the industry deeper in its eco-friendly aspects.

Finally, apart from the charging-maintenance aspects, software reaches further, all the way to its impact on transportation as a whole. Something called connected car data is being used across all types of vehicles for a while now. Connected cars are capable of gathering all sorts of information. From principle information, such as the speed or location, through engine status and malfunctions all the way to details such as whether the door was locked. Information is then used for many ways, from enabling shared transportation and services like Uber, to data used by insurance companies.

It’s free to say that software in eMobility touches all its aspects and makes improvements in all areas.

: As software becomes increasingly important in the development of new electric vehicles, companies that have strong software development teams will be able to bring new products to market faster and more efficiently.

: software can be used to improve the performance of existing electric vehicles. For example, software updates can be used to increase the range of an electric vehicle or to improve its charging time.

: software can be used to develop new chargers that are more efficient and easier to use. This will help to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

: software can be used to improve the efficiency of existing charging stations. For example, software updates can be used to increase the speed of charging or to reduce the amount of energy wasted during charging.

: software can be used to develop new apps and services that make it easier for people to use electric vehicles. For example, software can be used to develop an app that helps people find the nearest charging station.

Given all the aspects of the eMobility world enabled by software solutions, it’s pretty evident that electric vehicles are software-dependent, and this is likely to continue in the future. As such, it is important for companies operating in the eMobility space to have a strong software development team, whether in-house or outsourced to ensure the highest level of smoothly-running services.

eRoaming Hubs explained

See how connected car data improves mobility services and brings profit.

Experienced content writer with over 4 years of experience in the energy sector and many industry-related publications released.

Gabriela Stawiarska

Humankind has reached the times where 2.5 quintillion (that’s 2.5 followed by 18 zeros) bytes of data are created daily. With around a million Facebook logins and 511 200 tweets per every minute (sic!), technology has entered a whole new level of advancement and it’s only moving forward at a skyrocket pace. Since those innovative ways of living are calling for ingenious, groundbreaking measures, more and more technologically advanced arrangements are being introduced during this peculiar race of tech-revolutions.

We get to witness an era so data-obsessed that amongst ten of the wealthiest companies, seven have already made billions of dollars on data-based services. Another proof backing up its importance is the ever-growing extent to which 

 are used. According to some forecast stats:

by the end of 2021, 73% organizations will run their apps on SaaS structures

up to 85% small businesses will heavily invest in SaaS abundant solutions

the total size of the public SaaS market is projected to reach $157 billion

The impressive list may go on but with technology endlessly buzzing over SaaS, it appears quite obvious how significant the use of SaaS becomes. And how that’s unlikely to end. Being highly customizable, cost-effective and widely available, SaaS poses unconstrained possibilities for its users.

With the enlarged demand for SaaS solutions, the increase in data-based collecting services can be noticed with a naked eye. With the tendency of pushing the products and services to an online environment, such as cloud storages, we are bound to collect more and more data on, soon, nearly every aspect of our lives.

But first, so as not to get lost in the translation, let’s briefly elaborate on what the buzz is about.

Put simply, big data is an extensive collection of data, so inordinate that it cannot be handled via what might be deemed as standard software. It’s often times described with the rule of 3Vs:

- the speed with which data is collected and transmitted, it also refers to the reaction time of analyzing and processing gathered information

- the absolutely gigantic amount of collected data

- the huge variety of types of stockpiled information that may come in the forms of texts, numbers, images or videos


The massive success of collecting data has its roots in two primary sources. First one is the aforementioned switch to an online environment, the second is the lesser cost of storage amenities, which allows for better management and analysis of ever-growing amounts of data. Over the last years, collective material started playing a valid role in businesses’ development, impacting the buildout of aspects as crucial as product development, customer journey, machine learning or compliance checkups.

Now, the initial 3Vs have been extended with two more. 

, first referring to the accuracy, the latter to worth, precisely to what companies can do with the accumulated information and whether it is fit to make a profit. It turns out that vast quantities of data can in fact be turned into a capital.

It should be to no surprise that people figured out a way to start making profit off the collection of data. Quite a substantial one too. Data monetization is basically the process of turning data-based products, marketing figures or even just the completed raw data sets into a monetary value. An example of such a raw set would be extensive contact lists or figures showing specific trends that could potentially lead a business into a specific direction.

In addition to simply selling the data, it can also bring profits by expanding the functionalities of existing products. This can happen via adding i.e. analytics that can improve customer experience.

Connected cars are capable of gathering all sorts of information. From principle information, such as the speed or location, through engine status and malfunctions all the way to details such as whether the door was locked. For the collection of data, the responsibility holds the vehicle’s 

. ECM is an embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a vehicle. It runs via multiple sensors and camera modules and consists of many subsystems which combined together make up what we know as a car's computer. Amongst the subsystems a few main ones can be differentiated:

There are also more components responsible for the data collection, that being i.e. Controller Access Networks (CANs).

It is expected that connected car data will enable autonomous driving systems to expand their capabilities, leading us into the next age of transport. Connected car data should be one part of a bigger picture when it comes to fleet management and smart mobility services.

What are the benefits of connected car data and how can it bring profit? Real-life examples

The first step towards building an understanding of what connected car data and data monetization combined means for us consumers, is to look at how some companies have already made use of it.

Uber, Lyft or Zipcar are the shining examples. It's no secret that the taxi industry is going through a major transformation right now - and it all comes down to data. The traditional model of taxis was based on an old-fashioned dispatcher system in which passengers would call for a car at their location and then wait until their ride arrived. It was far from perfect, as it didn't take into account the possibility of traffic jams or bad weather. The result is that taxis were often late and frustrated drivers would sometimes drive slowly to avoid losing their jobs for not picking up enough customers.

Uber, Lyft and Zipcar - companies whose core idea revolved around real-time tracking systems. Their apps allowed users to see where the nearest car was and request a ride. Drivers were also able to track their progress on an interactive map, which meant that they knew exactly when and where someone needed them. This simple idea changed everything - not only did it make for more reliable service (no waiting around), but it ultimately helped drivers boost their earnings by getting more customers in less time.

The next step for Uber, Lyft and Zipcar was to find out how they could increase their revenues even further - which is where the connected car data comes into play. By utilizing real-time tracking systems (which can be achieved through GPS and wireless communication), they hope to adjust prices based on demand. If it's raining, then the price during that time will be higher - this is because customers are more likely to seek shelter and pay extra for a service. Alternatively, if there's an accident on the road and traffic suddenly comes to a standstill, prices could drop as drivers become idle and go elsewhere.

The idea behind this new pricing system is that it will benefit both companies and customers. Customers, because they won't need to pay as much if demand is low - while still ensuring that drivers get paid the same amount even when there's no traffic jam. Companies, on the other hand, can put up promotional prices during rush hour or other busy periods in order to attract more customers and increase revenues.

There are instances where insurers are using the data to adjust the policy and insurance rates based on the data collected from a vehicle. It can be used for a variety of reasons. For example: usage-based insurance, incident reporting, accident reconstruction or driver behaviour monitoring. Such facilitations allow for a quicker recovery from a stolen vehicle (and massively help in its locating) as well as pose an effective means of determining the cause of an accident.

In terms of marketing firms, some agencies have even found creative ways of advertising their services through new touch points inside vehicles or outside while drivers drive by - all thanks to insights from IoT sensors about how people feel when passing by an advertisement.

Being one of the most technologically advanced branches of mobility, electro-mobility certainly has a lot to say in terms of the usage of connected car data. Surely, 

 could go on for hours on how much data can be collected and analyzed just by viewing the charging tendencies.

This can be used for a plethora of reasons, such as the grid overflow. As much as, for now, the mass EV adoption is not yet so advanced as to generate possible grid blowout, with the increasing number of charging stations it is already crucial to test the limitations of the energy suppliers. Namely, through the connected car data, it is possible not only to monitor how many cars are being charged at once but also analyze the tendencies, measure the peak times or determine the overused spots. This allows for a proper action undertaken in real-time as the flow of EV charging evolves.

Same goes with the EV driver journey. Through data updated in real time on EMSP apps, electric vehicle users can not only find a charging station but also check it upfront in terms of the capacity or even whether it’s currently taken by another person. Some even allow for its reservation.

Connected car data - where mobility meets technology

Get our comprehensive PDF packed with knowledge on eRoaming, hubs and protocols!

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

Certainly, roaming is something known to everyone at this point. However, what that has to do with eMobility?

Being a broad term for services allowing for connection outside of the usual network, roaming turns out to be an on-point solution for EV charging. With many players in the eMobility game (i.e. Charging Point Operators, eMobility Service Providers), some type of a connector is a must. Here’s exactly where eRoaming comes into play allowing for multi-dimensional connection between operators and EV drivers.

In short, eRoaming can be established via the use of hubs and protocols. A hub here can be an open platform which, after subscribing, can be used by many operators, who operate on common terms. This all happens in such a way that a certain charging pool introduced to a common hub can then be easily used by clients (EV drivers) of different providers. Such a solution allows electric vehicle users to charge their car across cities/countries with limited hussle.

In order to facilitate such a solution, the hubs developed their own open protocols, which are essentially responsible for the connection. They also define the functionalities of each eRoaming platform.

Amongst the existing hubs, we can differentiate three major ones. They all come with their own open standards and unify hundreds of CPOs and EMPs as well as millions of EV drivers.

The three biggest hubs and their protocols are:

(eMobility Inter-Operation Protocol - eMIP)

Apart from the proprietary protocols coming from hubs, it’s worth mentioning that there's also an independent one - 

Open Charge Point Interface Protocol (OCPI)

. It allows for eRoaming between the hubs as well as peer-to-peer connection.

To learn more about eRoaming, hubs & protocols, their importance and functionality as well as the future of eMobility - take a look at our exclusive paper covering all that needs to be covered on the topic!

Take a look at some of the aspects of the EV charging in commercial venues.

The conversations on charging infrastructure are still circling around as one of the main topics of the EV debate. As much as it leaves no question that the demand for charging stations remains high, there are also ways to sneak a whole lot of charging points into the everyday use of city infrastructure.

As cities grow increasingly more populated and 'smart', the opportunities to fill them up with EV charging infrastructure arise directly proportional. The infrastructure that's already in place may in fact serve to power up not only the charging networks but most importantly the demand for electric vehicles itself. By infrastructure it can mean anything from shopping malls, office buildings, hotels, restaurants, bigger and smaller venues and residential developments.

Most commercial and industrial buildings have a few things in common: large parking areas, many tenants and employees, and often a central location in the city. These types of buildings are also uniquely positioned to support the growth of EVs, thanks to their pre-existing electrical capacity. These factors make commercial and industrial buildings the ideal candidates for the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

It also comes with many benefits not only for the eMobility industry, but also for the aforementioned buildings.

EV charging infrastructure - benefits for the building complexes

So as not to focus purely on the advantages for eMobility, let’s take a look at what EV charging infrastructure may bring to the table of building owners and management.

To begin with, sustainability is becoming an important factor in the business world. By installing EV charging infrastructure, commercial and industrial buildings can significantly improve their eco-friendly standpoint. Such actions would work immensely in terms of the marketing value, placing EV charging-inclusive buildings in front of their competitors. What's more, by investing in EV infrastructure, building owners can take advantage of the ever-growing public interest in eMobility. This way, they can ensure that their buildings are future-proof and will remain relevant as the world moves towards a more sustainable future

Positive impact would also be visible in terms of attracting the customers, as all EV users are much likely to choose a place with commodities for them. This also opens up the possibility of collaborating with local car rentals offering electric vehicles.

In terms of the actual installation process, most commercial and industrial buildings already have the electrical capacity to support EV charging infrastructure. This means that, in many cases, installing EV chargers may not require any additional wiring or other major work. Simply put, it's a matter of connecting the chargers to the existing electrical system.

Of course, the number of chargers that can be installed will depend on the specific electrical capacity of the building. However, even a relatively small number of chargers can have a significant impact, as they can be used by multiple tenants and employees. In fact, a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that a single EV charger can service 10 to 20 EVs per day.

Furthermore, the installation of EV charging infrastructure can also help commercial and industrial buildings to meet their energy needs in a more sustainable way. By using renewable energy to power the chargers, buildings can further reduce their environmental impact.

EV charging infrastructure - benefits for the eMobility industry

Certainly the biggest advantage of wide EV chargers installations would be the extent to which it would ameliorate the overall charging infrastructure. Apart from the obvious availability of charging stations for electric vehicles’ users, in such scenario one could also observe the increased familiarity with this particular means of transport amongst those who had little to none contact with it. The great  acclimatization could massively increase the global interest iv EVs, the moment more and more people would realize how accessible and normalized these are by finding the charging components in commercial buildings such as hotels or office environments.

Another benefit here would be for the local 

 who would get the opportunity to partake in shared business ventures of installing, managing and maintaining chargers for the buildings’ owners. Same for those who develop the software solutions required to run a pool of charging stations. In such a case, the local eMobility (but not only) business market could bloom with incoming projects serving the entrepreneurs as much as the industry.

This would also positively affect the electric vehicles’ manufacturers as the market for their product would suddenly open up to a much wider audience. The industrial production of EVs itself could shift to a higher gear once the surge in demand arrives and this could lead to an overall drop in prices due to increased economies of scale.

In the end, it is certain that a wide-spread installation of EV chargers in commercial and industrial buildings would have a positive impact on many industries and economic sectors. The increased availability of charging infrastructure would make electric vehicles more accessible to the general public, which could lead to a surge in demand for these products. This, in turn, would have a positive impact on the electric vehicle industry, as well as the industries that support it. Ultimately, this would lead to a more sustainable future for both the economy and the environment.

Of course, such solutions are already used in practice in many places. The idea of charging an electric car at one's lodging is becoming more popular as companies like Hilton and Destination Hotels partner up with Tesla to offer this service. Such partnership means that guests can charge any other kind on sale, including Nissan Leaf - currently ranked among top-selling vehicles worldwide according to the CNN data. Such undertakings can be observed around the world. Marriott Hotels have been integrating EV charges for close to a decade and are currently having more than 1,700 charging stations at more than 600 hotels.

EV charging infrastructure grows increasingly popular amongst residential properties. At present, developers in bigger cities tend to implement charging points in a lot of new blocks of flats, giving their residents easy charging. Same goes with shopping malls and the surrounding parkings.

As mentioned above, such a solution poses a great deal of opportunity for many industries, including software development agencies.

Namely, such chargers require a suitable software enabling the maintenance and management as well as apps for EV drivers from which they can start/stop charging or simply pay. In cases of residential buildings, these may even be apps designed specifically for residents to schedule their charger. It makes for a great opportunity for software houses to build up expertise in the eMobility field and come together in making chargers more accessible and easier to manage.

EV charging infrastructure in commercial buildings - post scriptum

With all the aforementioned benefits, naturally there come many challenges. These include all the technical aspects from picking the right type of charges and their maintenance solutions all the way to anything related to the installation and electrical capacity. Much like with any introduced innovation, the beginning may be slightly hard but so worth it at the end, given all the advantages it brings to the table.

And it brings a lot to both eMobility as it stands as well as other industries who may get involved at any level. Not to mention the marketing behind electric vehicles and mass familiarity with the topic among potential customers and future EV drivers.

Take a look at some of the most interesting and significant aspects of the EV charging in commercial venues.

Why does software matter in eMobility?

24 JUNE 2022 • 6 MIN READ