Property managers: charger uptime

HoneyBadger Charging is pitching property managers on a simpler fix for broken or hard-to-run EV chargers: connect existing hardware to new software instead of replacing it. (badgercharging.ca) In a blog post published April 21, HoneyBadger said sites with Open Charge Point Protocol-compatible chargers can add fixed pricing, smart energy management, remote monitoring, easier software, and higher uptime performance. (badgercharging.ca) The company said the target customers are buildings where chargers are already installed but tenants face unclear pricing, managers struggle to control stations, or equipment sits “unreliable or broken.” HoneyBadger said it can review a site to check whether the installed chargers are compatible. (badgercharging.ca) Open Charge Point Protocol, usually shortened to OCPP, is the standard language that lets a charger talk to central management software instead of being locked to one vendor’s system. The Open Charge Alliance says OCPP can be used to detect, and in some cases avoid, charger downtime. (openchargealliance.org) That matters for apartment, condo, retail, and parking properties that need several stalls to stay available without constant on-site troubleshooting. HoneyBadger markets charging services to condos, apartments, retailers, landlords, parking operators, developers, and real estate investment trusts. (badgercharging.ca, badgercharging.ca, badgercharging.ca) HoneyBadger’s broader pitch is a managed network, not just hardware sales. On its main site, the company says installed terminals connect to its operating software so drivers can find, book, and pay for charging in the HoneyBadger app, and it says support and maintenance are included at no extra cost. (badgercharging.ca) The company is not alone in pushing OCPP as a way to keep chargers online. ChargeLab, another charging software provider, says property owners can connect OCPP chargers, manage stations at scale, and maximize uptime with hardware-agnostic software. (chargelab.co, chargelab.co) For property managers, the appeal is avoiding another equipment swap after the first installation already happened. HoneyBadger’s message is that if the chargers already speak OCPP, the next upgrade may be software, pricing controls, and remote operations rather than a new box on the wall. (badgercharging.ca, openchargealliance.org)