How to Become an EV Charger Distributor

As a distributor, you can make great money if you have good business skills and are willing to put in the time and energy. It can be rewarding work, as you help your customers solve real problems and improve their businesses.

EV charging stations are complex projects that can often involve dealing with local regulations and electricity costs. Dealerships need to develop strategies to optimize their electricity costs and minimize EV charging usage.

Supplying EV Chargers

An EV charger distributor provides charging stations, or ev charger distributor Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), to residential and commercial customers. These can be in the form of a box-on-a-cable for homes or a pedestal or wall-mounted device for workplaces, fleets, hotels, retail spaces, and more. The EV chargers can also be in the shape of a tower, like those found at public EV charging locations.

As the EV market continues to grow, many electrical distributors (ED) are looking to take advantage of it. But navigating this new opportunity presents a number of challenges. From navigating regulations and obtaining rebates to installing and maintaining the chargers, the complexity of EV charging projects can be daunting.

EDs need to find partners that can offer world-class service products and support at every step of the EV charging journey. Having a single point of contact can save time and money. Moreover, a partner that can handle the entire scope of work will minimize the need for subcontractors, thus cutting down on costs and minimizing project delays.

EV chargers require local load management capabilities to control the flow of energy and prevent a single site from using too much power, which can be detrimental to the network and the vehicles charging at it. Having the capability to connect several EV chargers into one supply line reduces costs and can increase capacity without digging trenches or adding to a building’s electrical panel.

System & Network Management

A well-functioning EV charging network requires back-end/infrastructure software. This facilitates installing new stations, managing charging sessions, regulating draw from the grid, handling different billing scenarios and processing payment for charging.

These systems are available in multiple form factors, from the box on a cable found at single-family residential homes and workplaces to wall and pedestal-mounted devices for parking and public locations as well as fleet and hotel charging depots. They are also available in a tower that mounts on the pole of a streetlight or utility pole, 10-12 feet above ground level. This positioning enables the charging station to remain out of flood waters and away from vandals that cut power cables for their copper value, and it saves 50% in installation costs by avoiding underground trenching.

Load management systems monitor the electricity consumption of all chargers and overall power availability. They then dynamically allocate power between charging ports to ensure that the overall demand does not exceed the capacity of the electrical infrastructure. Depending on the system, this may involve temporarily reducing the power of some stations to accommodate others to prevent overloading the grid.

The best EV charging system distributors offer a robust platform that provides real time visibility of EV charging operations and energy usage via a web portal or mobile app. This should include a 24/7 operations center that includes alerts and self-healing algorithms. In addition, the platform should enable users to create pricing plans and tariff models that are a good fit for their business model.

Site Planning & Consultation

The ability to help clients determine the optimal locations for charging stations is a vital service that some EV charger distributors offer. They use data on traffic patterns, parking availability, electrical infrastructure and more to develop a charging station placement strategy for each site. This may also involve a review of local regulations, including those related to zoning codes and policies.

EV charging distributors can offer advice on the different types of hardware solutions that are best suited for various sites, including slow, medium and fast charging stations. They can also assist with choosing the right connector standards and charging capacities. This includes CHAdeMO, CCS and Tesla Supercharger technologies. They can also assist with Stackable All-In-One Battery setting up a bidirectional charging system for advanced drivers who want to charge both their cars and home appliances at the same time, or for businesses that want to optimize energy costs through load balancing.

Some EV charger distributors offer integration services with the back-end systems that manage user authentication, payment processing and billing. They can also provide data analytics that help businesses identify trends in EV charging patterns and make improvements to their networks. Other services include helping to set up rebates or other incentives to encourage EV adoption. This can be especially useful for commercial or public properties, such as car dealerships and multi-family residences.

Maintenance Contracts

EV charging stations are dispensing several hundred volts worth of electricity into customer vehicles, and the presence of such power at your location brings concerns of fire or electrical shock to customers and personnel. You can mitigate these risks and create a steady stream of recurring business and income by offering maintenance contracts to your clients.

The EV charger industry is maturing rapidly, but much like the liquid fuels supply side, not all equipment and service providers are created equal. It is important that you look at any vendor contract to make sure they indemnify your dealership from their potential liability for damages caused by a faulty EV charger, such as burns, electrocution or electrical damage to customer vehicles or other property.

Additionally, EV home charger installations often come with significant upfront costs, and your client is relying on you to protect their return on investment by providing them with a warranty solution that covers the cost of a hands-on labor dispatch in the event of a malfunction. A good warranty provider will also be transparent on the coordinating and coverage of costs for technician labor, OEM parts, and a complete EV charging station replacement under force majeure. A reputable EV charger distributor should be able to provide you with a warranty solution that suits your needs.