Welcome back to our series on Apartment EV Charging! If you have not already read our blog on EV Charging Load Management Systems, we recommend checking it out first. In this blog, we are diving into an equally important topic: billing solutions for apartment EV Charging. We will discuss why these solutions are necessary and how they work to ensure fairness and efficiency in your building’s EV charging setup.
Why do we need a billing solution for Apartment EV Charging?
In most apartment complexes, connecting EV chargers to individual residents’ electricity meters is not a viable option. Doing so could interfere with the building’s EV Charging Load Management System and potentially exceed the building’s power supply. To avoid these issues, EV chargers are typically connected to the Common Property Electricity meter, for which the Owners’ Corporation (OC) is responsible.
Without the proper billing solution, the electricity costs for charging EVs would be added to the common property electricity bill, which is paid by the OC. This means that all residents, including those without EVs, would share the cost of the electricity used by EV owners. To ensure fairness, a dedicated billing solution is essential.
How do you ensure EV Owners pay for their electricity?
To implement a User Pays system, a billing solution is required. This software takes care of several critical tasks:
Monitoring Usage: Tracks how much electricity is used during each charging session.
Billing: Calculates and bills EV owners for the electricity they consume.
Payment: Collects payments from EV owners.
Fund Transfer: Transfers the collected funds to the OC at regular intervals.
This system ensures that the OC is not left footing the bill for the electricity used by individual EV owners, thereby maintaining fairness for all residents.
The setup process for billing solutions in your building
Employing a Billing Software solution is straightforward and hassle-free.
Steps for Owners’ Corporation:
- Select a Billing Software: Choose a reliable billing software that meets your buildings’ specific needs.
- Set Up an Account: Provide necessary contact details and bank account information to facilitate the transfer of funds.
- Set the Tariff: Determine the rate per kilowatt-hour (cents/kWh) for charging EVs.
Steps for EV Owners:
- Download the App: The chosen billing software usually comes with a free companion app.
- Create a Personal Account: Set up a personal account within the app.
- Link a Payment Method: Add your preferred payment details to enable billing.
- Pay an Annual Subscription Fee: Cover the cost of using the billing software.
Setting up a personal account also enhances security. The software ensure that only authorised users can start a charging session, preventing unauthorised use and ensuring that each EV owner is billed accurately for their electricity consumption.
We hope this blog has provided you with a clear understanding of the importance and functionality of billing solutions for apartment EV charging. Not all EV chargers are compatible with billing software and load management systems, as they require certain smart features. In our next blog, we will explore EV charger options for apartments, helping you choose the best solution for your building.