The electric vehicle market with the gradual and rapid spread of plug-in PHEV and 100% electric BEV hybrid cars has opened the market to new services not only to optimize the energy network for supply but also to new charging businesses.
With the creation of numerous charging points and platforms for exchanging data and providing services, sharing mobility and a new smart way to move are increasingly developing.
Let’s clarify the professional figures and acronyms used for this new business
Charge Point Operator (CPO)
Recharging point operators are the subjects who are responsible for installing and managing the recharging stations, offering diagnostic services, resolution of any problems and maintenance.
Usually, CPOs collaborate with site owners and charging point operators (eMSP).
Electro-Mobility Service Provider (eMSP)
Electric mobility service provider offers services for charging electric vehicles; allow access to a vast network of recharging points in a specific geographical area, even with “roaming” contracts with other parties.
They provide customers with useful information such as the location and availability of the charger, payment functionality and more, ensuring high driver satisfaction; they can be compared to the well-known mobile phone operators.
Roaming Network Operator (RNO)
Roaming network operator has the task of managing a platform for the exchange of charging data between the charging point operator (CPO) and the service provider (eMSP), including between different states.
Sharing mobility
Shared mobility is advantageous in that the same medium can be better exploited when it is shared among several people.
Statistically, a private car is used 4-6% of the time and with the support of new technologies, apps and electronic payment systems, sharing is easy.
Back-End
In the mobility sector, back-end means a software platform that manages a set of recharging systems; the features are for example:
- monitoring the status of each charging point (by sending messages to the manager);
- management of recharging points on geo-localized maps;
- user authentication on the portal or via APP;
- management of fees for recharging and automatic billing.
