The world’s going electric – are you ready to make a buzz?

Where seeing or owning an electric car or hybrid was a rarity a few years back, the global demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has rapidly surged and it does not seem to be slowing down. With this increased need comes a correlated increase in charging points that are easily accessible and convenient to use. E-charging points, as the name suggests, are machines that charge a variety of different electric vehicles and micro mobility devices. The popularity of these has grown so much that the current expectation is for a whopping 25 million new charging points to be erected in Europe and in the US by 2030 to help further facilitate the comfort of EV users*. 

These new charging points need to address their users varied needs whether they are on the road, parked at their business location, or doing their weekly grocery run. And, whilst you can find charging points at gas stations, supermarkets, and other business complexes, companies are also scouting places to set up self-serve and standalone charging stations in order to better reach those living outside service areas and city centres. The market is fairly fragmented at the moment**, with a lot of players of different sizes entering and trying to win market share by being the most accommodating, easiest to reach, or the best service around. 

However, if you are a smaller fish in a pond full of charging sharks, setting up and running a such a service can not only require frequent maintenance and upkeep but also incentivising users to keep coming back to you. And that can be costly, especially when you’re competing against larger companies with more resources. 

A Digital Billboard 

Whilst the EV charging stations of today are varied in look and feel, a lot of points, especially self-standing ones, have started utilising touch screen technology in order to provide users with a better experience. When you have a digital screen, you have almost unlimited options when it comes to offering your users extra value. This can come in the form of instructions, best practices, information about the company providing the service, entertainment - you name it. 

When you’re able to offer a coherent, reliable, and fun brand experience no matter what the touch point, your users have a higher chance of remembering you, and opting to come back to a familiar station in the future as well. 

But, as mentioned, running a smooth and convenient operation that can potentially involve maintaining hundreds of charging stations around a country or globally is not cheap. So, what can companies do to help maximise their level of service whilst getting something back? 

Next-Gen Advertising 

Now, the idea of monetising your business through ads can at first feel scary. After all, you don’t want anything eating up or influencing your carefully crafted brand experience, or take away from the important service that you are providing. It might be that you’re worried about users opting out of using your service after finding ads disruptive to their charging process. 

The way to think about modern digital monetization, however, is not as a disruptive act, but something that can be tailor-made to suit your business needs, whilst being helpful to your end customers. For self-standing charging kiosks, this could even be something as fun as a mobile game that your users could engage with whilst waiting for their vehicle to charge.

It could also be an ad for a local restaurant, providing a discount code for the charging station’s users, or anything else that works to strengthen your business goals. 

How to get started?

Whether you’re already in the business or just starting out, Qt can help with the whole package: using our development framework makes creating stunning and functional UI/UX designs a piece of cake, and our Qt Digital Advertising Platform sets you up for success when you decide to start monetising. By using our internal advertising solution, you don’t need to worry about difficult and lengthy integrations, elements not rendering or working together. 

Qt’s Digital Advertising Platform aims to make setting up and running ads easier and smarter through: 

1. Creating more relevant user experiences by only showing ads that your audience can connect with
2. Improving time-to-market by using one unified platform from UI to ad management 
3. Delivering more credible content by hand-picking your ad partners and ads 
4. Building brand partnerships by creating mutual value between you and the partner 

Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help you reach all your electric goals, and really help insert buzz into your business. 

References

*McKinsey & Company, Reserve a seat - the future of mobility is arriving early, 2018

**Alternative Fuels Data Center, EERE