FIRALP, a French company of public works and specialized sectors (Energy, Civil engineering, High voltage, etc.), monitors its charging stations using advanced diagnostic features to increase availability and optimize maintenance activities.
As sustainable mobility has become a priority for many countries, notably in Europe where the parliament just voted to end sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2035, electric vehicles (EVs) have grown into a booming market. According to a new report by specialized site EV-Volumes, global EV sales reached 6,75 million units in 2021, 108 % more than in 2020. This volume includes passenger vehicles, light trucks, and light commercial vehicles. The number of EVs on the road should reach at least 145 million units by the end of the decade as per the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates.
At FIRALP, the move to EVs has been underway. However, 2022 marks a decisive shift, with more than 100 electric vehicles ordered and charging stations already installed in the branches. The deployment of dual-energy pods is also continuing and the order for a dozen gas (CNG) trucks. This renewal meets environmental expectations and anticipates the restriction of the most polluting vehicles in low-emission mobility zones by 2025.
Mobile app for charging optimization
Managing mobility
To support its transition to EVs, FIRALP, through its subsidiary EREC, chose PcVue Solutions to supervise its charging stations.
The project began in 2020 to internally manage 100 22kW charging stations at FIRALP’s fifty branches, with an open and flexible solution. The tests carried out during the lockdown, allowed communication configuration with the charging stations of various manufacturers. OCPP was the selected protocol to monitor the stations for it ensures interoperability. The charging stations also rely on Load Management Systems.
Information reported in the PcVue application includes power delivered by station during charging in time, end-of-charge event, alarms, start/stop of charging. In addition, 10 WebVue clients provide access to reports visualizations for better use of the stations. A BMS supervision of the head office, the Château, is also coupled.
Access to the charging stations is free, but each branch has a portal to control it. The number of charging stations is currently sufficient for the number of e-vehicles, but the strong desire of the FIRALP group to expand their fleet of e-vehicles may make access to the stations increasingly difficult.
In the coming months, FIRALP will receive an order for more than 100 electric vehicles to complete their fleet, requiring the implementation of resource optimization tools.
Digitizing the Queue Ticket Machine
The main problem EV car drivers may encounter concerns the cars remaining connected even after a full charge, making the charging station inaccessible for other waiting vehicles.
PcVue Solutions allows EV drivers to sign in with their cell phone when they arrive at parking lots and to indicate the desired charge rate. PcVue stores this information regarding the charge need and rate and when a charging station becomes available, the PcVue platform notifies the driver on his mobile of the charging station to use.
Once the vehicle is connected, PcVue will trigger the charging. A configurable time-out is also available if the driver decides not to charge their vehicle, PcVue moves to the next charging request available in its ticket queue.
The mobile application dedicated to vehicle charging stations is realized without a single line of code thanks to PcVue's bot functionality. It allows the creation of a mobile graphic interface adapted to the client's needs, both functional and graphic.
It’ll be possible for the driver receiving the charging authorization on his mobile to transfer it to a third person in case of unavailability, or simply to postpone it.
The mobile and intelligent solutions allow the three parties involved: vehicles, charging stations, and drivers, a perfect match between availability, charging, and time.