In the webinar “ChargeGuru Day: Innovation in Home Charging for Employees,” organized by Mobility Portal Group, company representatives explained how they work with businesses to support the migration of their combustion fleets to electric vehicles.
“We offer a 360-degree solution because we want the transition to be as seamless as possible, both for employees and companies,” says Fran Cortegoso, Business Development Iberia at ChargeGuru.
What does this “360° solution” consist of?
The service they provide facilitates vehicle charging not only at the workplace but also at employees’ homes and in public spaces.
Firstly, a technical visit is arranged to manage the installation of the equipment, either at the employee’s home or at the office.
Next, a fixed pricing package is created so that the company can understand the costs and calculate the return on investment involved in transitioning to electric vehicles.
It’s worth noting that if employees don’t have a space to connect the charger, ChargeGuru can take care of this.
They can also assist companies in processing available grants or subsidies, such as the MOVES Plan.
After the installation, the charging points are connected to a monitoring platform, and ChargeGuru takes care of managing consumption.
How does ChargeGuru manage consumption?
ChargeGuru provides two RFID cards: a blue one (to record charges made with the company vehicle) and a white one (for those made with the employee’s personal car).
This way, it’s possible to determine when the cost of the charge should be reimbursed to the employee.
“This allows employees with two vehicles – one personal and one company – to charge both at the same station while keeping the costs separate,” explains Cortegoso.
All this data is rigorously recorded and then exported for visibility.
To do this, ChargeGuru has a consumption management platform, which can be accessed via the web or through an app.
From there, information about charges over a given period can be viewed.
“We can see if the equipment is online or not, if there’s any issue, and how the charges are progressing,” says the expert.
He clarifies: “While the employee can only view their own charges, the company can access those of all its employees.”
It’s worth noting that this platform allows management of all types of consumption. Regarding public charging, employees will be able to charge using the same RFID card they use at home or the office. This feature will be available by the end of 2024.
Additionally, for charging the electric vehicle at the company, various options are offered, controlled by the RFID card.
For example, it can be free or charged for the employee, with different rates depending on the user, which can be configured from the monitoring platform.
Finally, for home charging, system data is downloaded monthly, and a credit document is generated and sent to the company.
The company then decides whether it will reimburse the consumption cost to its employees or if ChargeGuru will handle it.
“In this way, we provide a global service, with a single card and a single contract. We are able to offer the company the three solutions it needs,” assures Cortegoso.
ChargeGuru stands out with success stories in eight European countries
ChargeGuru, dedicated to the installation, management, and maintenance of charging points, was founded in France in 2018.
It currently operates in eight European countries, including Germany, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.
“The goal is to continue expanding into other countries within the fleet market,” says Cortegoso.
“This is important because with a single solution, companies can manage all the vehicles they have in each country,” he adds.
Providing specialized support and offering solutions for the European fleet market is one of the features that sets ChargeGuru apart from other firms.
“We have offices and our own teams in all the countries we operate in, so we can offer tailored solutions for each market,” explains Cortegoso.
He continues: “It doesn’t matter if they have fleets spread across different locations. We have a network of installers that provide national coverage on time and as needed.”
These differentiators have led ChargeGuru to form partnerships and be recommended by leading companies in the sector.
“These are well-known and reputable companies in Spain, demonstrating that we are capable of offering a reliable and high-quality service,” he emphasizes.
Among the major car manufacturers recommending ChargeGuru are Porsche, BMW, MINI, Audi, Tesla, Volkswagen, CUPRA, Mazda, Seat, Volvo, MG, Honda, Ford, Stellantis, and Polestar.
They also have clients such as Paradores, Línea Directa, Celsa Group, and Ibermutua, among others.
It’s worth noting that the Paradores project in Spain is one of the most “successful.” It is currently underway and involves the installation and operation of more than 150 charging points available to customers at 89 hotels in the group.
“Another success story was the project we carried out for a pharmaceutical company with a fleet of more than 50 employee cars,” acknowledges Adrien Castagnié, Managing Director Iberia at ChargeGuru.
“In this project, we installed charging points at employees’ homes and provided a monthly automatic reimbursement solution for their professional expenses,” he adds.
More and more sectors that “weren’t on the map” – such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and biology – are beginning to transition their fleets. The reality is that companies are realizing that adopting electric vehicles is an advantage, not only in terms of sustainability but also economically.
