The Crucial Role of Operations and Maintenance in EV Charging

Ask any ‘expert’ in the automotive or energy sector, and you will get a different prediction about the market’s appetite for electric vehicles.

Here are the facts:

• There are more than 60,000 public charging station locations across the U.S.
• These contain over 160,000 public charging ports.
• The Biden administration has set a goal to build a national network of 500,000 charging ports along highways and communities by 2030.

These statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy demonstrate a healthy EV market with an expansive runway for growth.

Ensuring a reliable and efficient charging network becomes mission critical as the electric vehicle market expands. Imagine cruising toward mass EV adoption, only to hit roadblocks of downtime and underperformance at new charging stations.

That is the path we are currently on.

Part of managing a network is planning for regular repairs. Whether you need to replace a broken connector, troubleshoot low kW throughput, or conduct annual recommended maintenance for your EVCS, you will run into various challenges.

It is no secret that EV chargers break and maintaining EV charging stations is no cakewalk. The logistical puzzle is real: Network density, technician availability, and data limitations pose hurdles.

Sparse charging stations mean extended travel times for technicians and skyrocketing maintenance costs. The scarcity of trained EVCS technicians only exacerbates the issue. Add chaotic data management into the mix, and you have a maintenance migraine.

That is where strategic asset management comes in.

A strategic asset management plan is a comprehensive framework that outlines your organization’s approach to acquiring, operating, maintaining, and disposing of its assets. It involves systematically analyzing and optimizing the performance of assets throughout their lifecycle, considering risk, cost, and sustainability.

Effective asset optimization must align safety, reliability, and maintenance efforts. Safety programs may lack effective hazard identification or critical risk protocols. Reliability and maintenance programs may need more asset information, process gaps, or weak data analytics.

All these factors can hinder otherwise comprehensive asset optimization programs. Disjointed and reactive approaches, as we have seen in the industry to date, increase safety exposures and equipment downtime.

Taking a Strategic Approach

It is time to draw inspiration from the logistics, manufacturing, and telecommunications sectors in the EV market. Advanced asset tracking, quality control processes, and rapid response protocols—all make EV charging networks rock-solid.

SEAM Group is all in on this mission. We are leveraging over a decade of expertise in renewables and EV asset development to reshape the EV industry. We work closely with property and EV leaders to integrate strategic asset management principles into the core of EVCS planning and operation.

So, why does this matter?

As they say, with great power comes great responsibility. Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and their O&M partners have incredibly demanding tasks ahead to propel the adoption of EVs by providing reliable and abundant charging.

Transportation electrification is the future, and reliable charging infrastructure is the linchpin. At SEAM Group, we take responsibility seriously, aiming to nurture a world where EV charging is as seamless and accessible as possible.

Stay charged, stay connected. That is the power of O&M in the EV revolution.