3 tools that we build at TAU
This article covers the core features of the products we build.
Disclaimer: the following products are a work in progress.
1. Management System
The TAU Management System is a single application for control and monitoring of charging stations. It allows owners of charging stations to get income by providing public access to charging stations.
There are multiple ways to use the Management System and the owners of the charging stations are free to customize their (charging) locations as they want. In order to understand the system better — let’s have a look at some of the core features.
Charging station management and monitoring
There is a remote control of the charging station with realtime monitoring and statistic for each charging location. Operational status of any separate Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) can be changed remotely.
Income
Ability to get income from providing public access to a privately owned electric charging station. When the user wants to add a charging station in the Management System, he only needs to enter the charging station serial number, which is usually either located on the station itself or is written in the stations documentation. After the station is added to the system, it is ready to be shared with other drivers.
Control over pricing
Customization of prices for different connector types and power outputs. With this feature, the owner of the charging station can adjust the price of charging to attract drivers or receive more money per each charging session.
Location opening hours and access type
Configuration of the opening hours helps to make electricity sharing more convenient. For example, the owner of a charging location can set it to only work when he is not at home during the day time, so when he returns back from work he can use his charging station to charge his personal vehicle.
Any separate station can be configured to accept a certain type of vehicle, for example, the owner of a charging location can configure the access type to accept only bikes if the charging station doesn’t have a parking lot for a car.
Compatibility with charging stations of different vendors
The TAU Central System supports Open Charge Point Protocol of versions 1.6 and 2.0, which is an application protocol for communication between the electric vehicle, the charging station and the central system, hence allowing our system to be compatible with charging stations of different vendors.
Unique features coming soon
We will describe two unique features in the following separate articles. We will answer the questions. What are they needed for? How will they help develop electromobility?
2. Charging Station
The idea behind the TAU Charging Station is to deliver a smart and compact charging station with a price below the market average to make charging accessible to everyone.
The Charging Station has 2 AC power sockets of the type “Schuko” with a total energy power output of 7.2 kW. The Charging Station can be mounted on the wall or on a tube and is suitable both for indoor and for outdoor use.
The charging station firmware is updated automatically to deliver the latest updates and features.
3. Mobile application for drivers
The Mobile application for drivers gives access to the charging network operated by residents. By viewing the charging location information, the user can see different charging options, including various connectors with different power outputs, services provided at the location, user feedback and the information required to find and identify the location. One of the main advantages of the app is a single map for e-cars, e-scooters, e-bikes, e-boards and some other small electric vehicles.
Map tools
We believe that process of finding a place for charging shouldn’t take more than a few seconds, that is why we added a location search, filter options and “find quick path” buttons, which allows the driver to find the cheapest or the closest charging station.
Charging cost calculation
The charging cost is being calculated before a charging session, so that the driver can estimate and compare different options. This is an important functionality, because the prices are set by the owners of charging stations and can vary depending on many factors, including location, season and station popularity.
Management of reservations
Reservation management allows the driver to plan the charging session in advance. The charging session can be scheduled at any time in the future with flexible duration. Reservation management is a great way to plan trips and holidays.
The application also has lines, which essentially are the live queues for charging connectors. Let’s take a look at the following example: a driver is at the station, which is currently busy and wants to start charging as soon as the ongoing charging session is finished. When his turn comes, the driver receives a push notification, reaches the charging station, connects his vehicle and starts his charging session.
Real user feedback
The real user feedback about the location is an important factor in building trust inside the infrastructure. The feedback in the app can only be published by drivers who have charged at the particular charging location.
Mobile application functionality also includes, but is not limited to:
- built-in payment system
- authorization at charging station remotely or using QR code (no RFID)
- 24-hour live chat support
Afterword
This is the first article in the series about our products. Since we are focused on building a set of easy-to-use tools with the best user experience, we are looking forward to read your feedback and ideas.
You can find us here:
Telegram: https://t.me/joinchat/DIkDLxQqIEXdU6j71EE6LQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2084544158322435/
