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The Electricity Supplier

Reliable energy for the charging station

Without energy, electric cars wouldn't go anywhere. And the electricity provided at the charging station first needs to find its way there. The electricity supplier ensures that there is always sufficient energy available at the charging stations. This role is usually taken on by an energy provider. The energy provider either generates electricity with their own power plants or purchases it on the electricity market and delivers it to the charging stations through the distribution network.

Good to know: The positive development in energy generation contributes to making electromobility more environmentally friendly. In particular, the increasing decentralized generation of electricity from renewable sources such as wind power plays a crucial role. At peak times, Germany already has a share of over 50% of sustainably generated energy provided by electricity suppliers. This share can even exceed 70%.

The Charge Point Operator (CPO)

Everything related to the charging station
 

The charge point operator, also known as the CPO, is the expert responsible for all matters concerning the charging station.

They commission the installation of the charging station, enter contracts with electricity suppliers, and ensure that their stations are ready for charging electric vehicles and have all the necessary permits. Besides planning and establishing the stations, CPOs are also responsible for smooth operation, regular maintenance, and billing of charging processes through a Charge Point Management System (CPMS).

The CPO decides who can use the charging stations, how, when, and under what conditions. For example, they can restrict access to specific groups, such as employees of a company, or make charging accessible to everyone.

The CPO can also market their electricity to so-called e-mobility service providers (EMPs). However, they do not determine the prices at which the electricity is provided to EV drivers at their charging stations; instead, they must assume the role of an EMP themselves.

The Charging Station Owner

The charging station owner is the actual owner of the charging station. In many cases, the owner is also the operator and, therefore, visible as a CPO.
 

However, it is not uncommon for charging station owners to not be responsible for the operation of the station due to various reasons. This is particularly the case for companies whose core business has little or no connection to electromobility, and therefore, their resources and know-how are limited. Nevertheless, industries such as hotels or retail brands want to enable charging at their customer parking spaces.

In such cases, they commission external companies as owners of the charging stations to operate them. In many places, the traditional electrical trade has discovered the demand for these services and offers so-called 360-degree services, including conceptualization, construction, commissioning, maintenance, service, and ongoing operation as a CPO. However, new startups and spin-offs from the energy supplier sector also stand ready as competent contact partners for the operation of charging solutions in the market.

The E-Mobility Provider (EMP)

Charging service provider

The e-mobility provider, also known as the EMP, markets the electricity provided at the charging station. This can happen in two different ways.

1. Directly at the station through so-called ad-hoc or spontaneous charging
2. Through fixed contractual relationships (via charging app and/or charging card)

Part of the EMP's service includes not only billing for charging processes but also continuously expanding and making the network of available charging points transparent and user-friendly. The app with a map display and status indicator of the charging station has established itself as a popular medium for searching for available stations and starting the charging process. Many EMPs also offer their customers the option to start charging processes with a provided RFID card. Both the app and/or card are linked to a contract between the EMP and the electric vehicle driver. Billing is usually automated on a monthly basis through the powerful CPMS.

Many EMPs offer additional benefits to drivers, such as discounts on car repairs or combination products including charging tariffs, wallboxes, electricity tariffs, or insurance.

Good to know: Some EMPs operate their own charging stations and act as both e-mobility service providers and CPOs.

The Person Behind the Wheel

User of the charging station

For electric vehicle drivers, there are various ways to charge their vehicles in public spaces and pay for the charging process. For example, they can use charging stations spontaneously and without a contract, as described above, in the form of an ad-hoc charging process. Similar to a conventional gas station, they drive up, choose the desired payment method offered via a web application, enter the corresponding data, and start the charging process. This money goes directly to the charging station operator (CPO), who in this case also acts as an EMP.

Alternatively, electric vehicle drivers can enter into a permanent contract with an e-mobility service provider. This allows them to have fixed prices, payment terms, and a periodic (often monthly) billing for charging processes carried out with a charging card or app.

The person behind the wheel is thus at the end of the power marketing chain at the charging station and is the contractual partner of the EMP.

For this charging scenario to work smoothly, the EMP and the CPO work closely together behind the scenes. This collaboration is facilitated through so-called roaming connections, which regulate the conditions under which the customers of the e-mobility service provider can use the CPO's charging stations.

Good to know: The use of charging services varies greatly. While most charging processes still take place at home using a home wallbox without involving an EMP, there is an increasing need in public spaces to charge at locations where the vehicle is parked - such as at the workplace or on public streets during shopping trips or restaurant visits. For these charging processes, the slower alternating current (AC) charging is typically used. Many EMPs charge lower prices for these charging processes compared to the faster direct current (DC) charging, which is mainly used for stops on longer journeys. Modern vehicles can charge a range of 300 km - 400 km in about 20 minutes at appropriate charging stations.

Der Roaming Hub

B2B relationship between CPO and EMP

In a roaming agreement, the CPO and the EMP agree on the conditions under which the e-mobility service provider's customers can use the CPO's charging stations.

Roaming connections are necessary to ensure that the CPO can sell electricity not only to ad-hoc customers and users of their own EMP product but also establish B2B relationships with other EMPs, enabling their customers to charge at the CPO's stations. These connections, known from the mobile telecommunications industry, serve to exchange information about the charging details and the corresponding authorizations resulting from the contractual relationships between the EMP and the drivers.

To establish these connections, there are various options. The most well-known and widely used method is connecting through a roaming hub. In Europe, Hubject and Gireve are the dominant hubs in the market. These roaming hubs function similarly to marketplaces, where CPOs can publish their charging stations with their own price information, and EMPs can accept these offers to subsequently establish a roaming connection.

These connections enable drivers to charge quickly, easily, and conveniently at a wide range of charging stations.

The Charge Point Management System (CPMS)

Platform for efficient management and billing

Both the CPO and the EMP need to carefully organize their own data to effectively manage either customers or charging stations. For example, the CPO needs information about whether their charging stations are in operation or if there are any issues during charging. Instead of having to physically visit the charging stations each time, they rely on a platform where they can view the status of the charging stations. If necessary, they can diagnose and resolve problems remotely. Additionally, they have access to information about all charging processes at their stations, as well as roaming contracts with e-mobility service providers.

The EMP is interested in storing their customers' data in one central location and automatically sending monthly invoices for all charging processes carried out by the drivers through a charging card or app. A charging management platform enables them to easily bill for charging processes and efficiently handle payments. Furthermore, a charging management platform offers many other interesting features for CPOs and EMPs. More information about this can be found in our article: "What is a Charge Point Management System?"

Thanks to the dedicated collaboration of these actors, a seamless charging experience is ensured, further increasing the attractiveness and acceptance of electromobility. Together, they contribute to making electromobility an increasingly sustainable and forward-thinking solution.