The time is now. With a perfect storm of government regulation, investment, and rising electric...
As a Charge Point Planning platform (CPP), we share our experience of what leading Charge Point Operators (CPOs) focus on when it comes to strategically grow their electric vehicle (EV) charging networks.
At Dodona Analytics, we support a number of successful CPOs in both the UK and the US with their charge point site selection process. As a Charge Point Planning Platform, we get to see how things worked before our software is engaged, and of course how this changes once Dodona Analytics is being used as part of the site assessment and selection process.
For many CPOs starting out, the choosing of potential sites for the EV charging stations was very much a manual process, which was of course time consuming and open to both error and subjectivity. What we are seeing, in a market which is rapidly evolving, is that the most successful CPOs are focusing on accuracy and speed when it comes to fast-tracking this part of their business activities in order to ensure that their charging network planning is strategically informed.
We take a look at five things we see bringing sustainable success to CPOs right now, particularly when operating in such a swiftly developing environment.
1. Data-Driven Decision Making
Relying on data for decision-making is fast becoming a necessity for CPOs. And rightly so. But it is important that this extends beyond simply having access to data.
With hundreds of data sources available, the best CPOs integrate internal expertise, external insights, and robust data science practices to extract meaningful insights.
To be able to make informed decisions, this data needs to be collected, combined and presented both objectively and clearly. Making this information easily accessible ensures that decision-makers can act swiftly and with confidence in their choices.
Stuart Douglas, MD at PoGo Charge - a leading CPO in the UK - tells us exactly this, with its Network Planning Team using CPP technology to ensure that the right investments can be made:
“Deploying hardware, there’s a return on investment that needs to be made, it needs to meet drivers’ needs in terms of location and if we get that wrong, it’s a costly mistake. So it’s really important that lots of our decisions are data driven”.
2. Sourcing and Maintaining Reliable Data
High-volume growth demands accurate, up-to-date data. Yet, many CPOs overlook data maintenance amid their daily operational pressures.
As the EV market evolves, staying current with reliable data becomes a competitive advantage. However, sourcing, cleaning, and integrating data from diverse origins requires dedicated resources and expertise in data engineering and analysis, so the CPOs we see making the right decisions are those who are automating this process - using a CPP platform to ensure that their decisions are informed by accurate, comprehensive, and relevant data.
One CPO described to us how vital this ability is for them:
“We depend on Dodona as a unified source of dependable data, especially up-to-date competitive information of existing chargers, which is critical to the viability of our sites”.
3. Developing Optimal Data Models for Consistent Success
Once the data is accurate, it is important to have consistency when it comes to how it is digested and computed. Leading CPOs rely on tailored, scalable data models that align with their specific business objectives.
These models enable repeatable success by standardizing decision-making processes. By fine-tuning these frameworks, CPOs can adapt strategies to various scenarios while meeting their financial and operational goals. Ultimately, these optimized models ensure consistent, sustainable growth.
We’ve seen this with our clients - with one particular CPO seeing a 300% increase in identifying feasible and viable sites. Before implementing Dodona, they had struggled with a 3 in 10 hit rate on good sites. This has improved to over 9 out of 10 sites today, supporting the growth of the business significantly. More on this in the eBook “Charging Forward, Success in the EV Charging Market with Smart Data”.
4. Leveraging Technology for Scale
Top-performing CPOs harness technology to scale their operations efficiently. Our clients are of course effectively utilizing our CPP platform within their network planning, but from site discovery to securing approvals, managing grid connections, deploying chargers, and maintaining networks, making use of the right technology standardizes and streamlines the entire lifecycle of EV charger deployment.
This not only facilitates the management of thousands of sites but also allows new team members to onboard quickly and contribute effectively. The result is an agile, tech-enabled approach across the business that supports growth at scale.
As new research into the Charge Point Planning (CPP) market notes, the demand for EV charging infrastructure will grow alongside EV adoption, so a CPO’s ability to scale operations is invaluable both now and for its future.
5. Driving Growth through Streamlined Operations
Strategic growth requires seamless alignment across internal and external processes. The best CPOs foster a unified vision across their organization, emphasizing customer-centric strategies and collaborative planning.
Clear communication between sales, planning, and installation teams ensures smooth site selection and development. Well-defined processes reduce inefficiencies, enabling faster deployment and higher operational success rates.
Paving the Path to Success - New Research
CPOs need evidence-based, scalable, and repeatable processes before they can find themselves ranked among the industry’s best. Whether you build your own system or adopt a proven platform, these principles will position you for growth in the fast-paced EV charging sector.
New research into the Charge Point Planning market from cleantechinsiders is clear on this point: “By using Charge Point Planning solutions, CPOs and property owners can thoroughly evaluate these factors to maximize the success of their installations…With strategic site selection, charging stations can play a pivotal role in the growing EV ecosystem”.
If you’re looking at raising your game as a CPO, get in touch to see how we help.
You may also find this research report useful - completely independent and the first of its kind - it gives insight into the Charge Point Planning market as it currently stands, for CPOs wanting to get it right:
