During a charging session for an electric vehicle (EV), multiple parties are involved, each receiving a margin for their services. These margins are essential to ensure the continuity and quality of the charging infrastructure and services. Below is an explanation of the involved parties and why they apply a margin:
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Charging Station Owner (Host): The owner invests in the purchase and installation of the charging station and is responsible for making the location available. The margin received by the owner compensates for these investments and any operational costs, such as maintenance and electricity consumption.
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Charge Point Operator (CPO): The CPO manages the charging station, ensuring its technical functionality, performing software updates, and resolving malfunctions. The margin received by the CPO covers these operational costs and ensures a profitable operation of the charging network.
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Mobility Service Provider (MSP): The MSP provides charging cards or apps that grant EV drivers access to various charging stations. The margin received by the MSP covers the costs of offering these services and developing user-friendly platforms.
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Roaming hubs and other service providers: These entities ensure interoperability between different charging networks, allowing EV drivers to charge at multiple providers using a single charging card. Their margin covers the costs of facilitating this collaboration and exchanging data between systems.
The application of margins by these parties is necessary to cover their costs and invest in the expansion and improvement of the charging infrastructure. Without these margins, they would not be able to provide reliable and efficient charging solutions, which are crucial for the growth and adoption of electric mobility.
The attached document provides a visual overview of the key parties that influence the price of a charging session.