JET Charge, a pioneering electric vehicle (EV) charging company, is making waves with its innovative JET Charge+ product. We sat down with Paul Kramer, Product Manager at JET Charge, to discuss how this service is transforming the landscape of EV fleet management.
Transitioning to the EV industry
Paul joined JET Charge in October of last year, transitioning from a background in enterprise networking. Having worked for Cisco in the U.S., and remotely for a cloud telecommunications company, he brought a wealth of experience to JET Charge. His move from networking to the EV industry, while seemingly a sidestep, proved to be highly relevant. “There’s a lot of overlap,” Paul explained, highlighting the importance of telemetry and internet connectivity in managing EV chargers, especially for fleet use.
Enhancing connectivity and reliability
One of the critical challenges in EV charging is ensuring reliable internet connectivity. Fleet managers need constant data flow from home chargers to manage reimbursements for electricity use efficiently. JET Charge has tackled this by deploying a multi-carrier cellular service, capable of switching between Telstra and Optus to maintain a robust signal. This approach ensures that even if one network goes down, the system remains operational. “Improving connectivity today is crucial for enhancing reliability,” Paul emphasised.
Introducing Charging as a Service (CaaS)
The core of JET Charge’s new offering is called JET Charge+, a subscription-based model that simplifies the management of EV chargers for fleet managers. This model shifts the responsibility of maintaining and upgrading chargers from the company to JET Charge, allowing for seamless scalability and reducing administrative overhead. Paul detailed how fleet managers initially manage small fleets easily but face significant challenges as the fleet grows. JET Charge+ addresses this by offering a comprehensive solution that includes installation, maintenance, and upgrades.
Addressing fleet management pain points
Managing a growing fleet of EV chargers can become cumbersome, with issues arising from expired warranties, employee relocations, and evolving technology standards. JET Charge’s Charge+ model alleviates these issues by offering proactive maintenance and ensuring chargers are always up-to-date. “Fleet managers can scale up and down quickly and easily,” Paul noted, highlighting one of the main advantages of this new solution.
Enterprise-grade infrastructure at home
JET Charge leverages its extensive experience in maintaining over 10,000 residential chargers to bring enterprise-grade infrastructure into employees’ homes. This ensures high expectations for uptime, availability, and performance are met. “It’s a groundbreaking moment, having enterprise infrastructure in an employee’s home,” Paul. The service guarantees that the equipment installed in an employee’s home operates at the same high level as that in the workplace.
The subscription advantage
One of the key benefits of JET Charge+ is its cost-effectiveness. Traditional models require significant capital expenditure and ongoing management, but JET Charge’s subscription model eliminates these concerns. The subscription covers all aspects, including proactive maintenance and upgrades, ensuring chargers are always functional and up-to-date without additional costs. Paul explained, “It’s more of a set-and-forget situation that fleet managers hope for, just in a monthly cost.”
Adapting to market needs
JET Charge is also addressing the evolving needs of large organisations, particularly those facing mandatory climate reporting. With fleet emissions often being a significant part of a company’s carbon footprint, transitioning to EVs and efficiently managing their chargers is crucial. JET Charge’s Charge+ model aligns with these environmental goals, providing a scalable and reliable solution.
Streamline reimbursement for employees
All EV chargers within JET Charge+ are linked to the internet and verified via RFID. JET Charge produces a monthly report that can facilitate reimbursement procedures with employee payroll.
Ensuring long-term reliability
Paul highlighted the importance of long-term reliability in their offering. “We own the risk of actually upgrading that charger as part of the subscription for no additional cost,” he explained. This approach provides peace of mind to fleet managers, knowing that their chargers will always meet the latest standards and operate efficiently.
Customer validation and future prospects
JET Charge’s early customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, validating their approach to market needs. Despite the presence of larger players entering the market, JET Charge sees this as a sign of their correct direction. “It’s also quite pleasing and acts as validation that we’re going in the right direction,” Paul stated.
JET Charge’s Charge+ model represents a significant advancement in EV fleet management. By offering a reliable, scalable, and cost-effective solution, they are setting new standards in the industry. As organisations increasingly transition to EVs, JET Charge’s innovative approach ensures they can do so smoothly and efficiently, ultimately contributing to a greener future.
For more information on how JET Charge can transform your fleet management with JET Charge+, visit their website and explore their groundbreaking solutions.
