EV Connect, Flash, and Qmerit — pioneers in the electric vehicle (EV) charging, parking technology, and EV implementation and maintenance fields, respectively — announced a partnership that will accelerate the expansion of EV charging solutions.
The trio will unite an integrated charging management platform by EV Connect, the scale of Flash’s North American digital infrastructure, with installation, integration, and maintenance services from Qmerit.
The companies are combining these services to provide a seamless, reservable parking and charging experience for drivers while simplifying management for asset owners and operators. In doing so, the partners address the issues of management, reliability, discoverability, and usability that have slowed the nation’s transition to EVs.
Each partner will contribute their specialized technology and services: Flash’s innovative cloud-based parking technology ecosystem with over 10,000 parking assets and digital demand network exceeding 100 million drivers via native partner integrations; EV Connect’s leading software platform and services for electric vehicle charging networks; and Qmerit’s leading expertise in electrification infrastructure, installation, and maintenance services.
EV drivers using Flash’s network through one of its many native integrations can now access chargers on the EV Connect network and vice versa. This allows users to predictably and reliably find, reserve, access, and pay for charging when they park, all via a single platform and a single payment. The integration will likewise tie together the various aspects of parking- and charging management by giving asset owners and operators one hassle-free platform supported by Qmerit’s installation and service options.
A charging crisis
The rapid and accelerating adoption of EVs in the United States — EV sales in 2023 were up more than 50% from the previous year — presents a significant problem: the expansion of the nationwide EV charging network must outpace demand or become a limiting factor for electrification as a whole.
Much of the focus on closing this gap is concerned with public, government-funded charging infrastructure, which must exceed a forecasted 1.2 million chargers by 2030 to support demand, per the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The same report calls for 28 million private chargers, including the commercial sector, which must evidently bear the vast majority of the EV charging burden. To reach those goals, the existing charger network will have to increase 20-fold.
“The transition to EV in this decade requires all-hands-on-deck, especially as the next generation of EV adopters make the switch, and we can’t rely on public charging infrastructure alone,” said Dan Sharplin, CEO at Flash. “Facilities with private parking, from retail and hospitality to events and community venues, are a key part of the solution, and must be prepared to meet EV driver expectations.”
The EV charging crisis can be attributed to a wide range of causes, not the least of which are a lack in quality and ease-of-use. The inconvenience of finding an accessible parking spot with a well-functioning charger deters consumers, making them less likely to value or use the installed base of private-sector chargers. This, in turn, has discouraged investment by commercial operators who may be reluctant to take on the management and maintenance of a charging system.
The solution
Making the EV experience more convenient, accessible, predictable, and reliable will minimize the friction experienced by drivers and encourage the adoption of EV charging systems on commercial properties — a clear necessity for overcoming the charging crisis at large.
The partnership between EV Connect, Flash, and Qmerit is designed to serve as an important part of that solution, while enhancing the return on investment for the commercial sector.
“Our state-of-the-art EV charging technology is a key component to driving this partnership forward, representing a significant leap with unmatched reliability, performance and uptime through our Network Operations Center and round-the-clock customer support,” said Daniel Bryant, VP of Customer Operations for EV Connect.
Beyond the task of connecting the driver with accessible parking-and-charging stations, fulfilled by Flash, high-quality, well-managed, and thoroughly-maintained equipment is essential for growing the charging network. EV Connect will help ensure station reliability and access with comprehensive management and customer service, while Qmerit will provide private operators with the installation and maintenance support they need.
“We’re excited to bring our top-tier implementation and maintenance services to this partnership, laying the foundation for a robust and efficient charging network. With a 26% increase in publicly available EV chargers and a 59% surge in EV sales in the first three quarters of 2023, as reported by J.D. Power, our partnership aims to expand reservable infrastructure, catering to the rising demand for combined parking and charging solutions,” said Tracy Price, founder and CEO of Qmerit.
What’s next?
Over the next 12 months, a series of new agreements with major operators in the hospitality, events, and mixed-use sectors will be announced, together with details about where and when the unified system of parking and charging will be made available to the public. As a result, it is expected that thousands of new ports will be installed this year.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News