Vontier’s Driivz to power EV charging for On the Run Charging
Driivz, a Vontier company and part of its EVolve e-mobility portfolio, today announced a partnership with On the Run Charging to install its electrical vehicle (EV) charging and energy management software across chargers located at Parkland Corp.'s convenience stores across Canada.
On the Run Charging is one of the largest EV fast charging networks in Canada with EV chargers strategically placed along highways and in major destinations across British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
With its commitment to growing its charging network and modernizing its equipment to ensure a high uptime, On the Run Charging requires a hardware agnostic software solution that can connect to both legacy and newly installed chargers within its growing footprint of Canadian retail locations. Driivz’s software supports more than 1,600 types of chargers, and will allow On the Run Charging to easily integrate new charging equipment into its network, including ABB’s DC fast chargers currently being deployed at On the Run Charging stations.
“The number of EV charging customers continues to grow. Our customers expect a frictionless charging experience when they visit an On the Run Charging location,” said Scott Sharabura, vice-president at On the Run Charging. “We selected Driivz due to their proven track record in successfully managing the operations of DC fast chargers networks, their ability to scale as we grow, and their expertise in creating the digital tools to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.”
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Driivz’s software provides round-the-clock monitoring of network health with visual dashboards, as well as auto detection for charger issues that can be fixed remotely. Driivz supports the rapid expansion of large-scale networks, such as the On the Run Charging network, which recently announced plans to build 1,800 fast charging ports over the next four years. In addition, On the Run Charging seeks to integrate the charging experience with the in-store experience through its customer-facing mobile application, Journie Rewards.
Oren Halevi, chief product officer with Driivz, said Parland’s like any other major convenience chain is looking to bringing more customers into its stores, and it sees electric vehicle charging as a way for its stores through its On the Run charging network and loyalty program.
“When you have a customer come into a location with their electric vehicle, it is a great opportunity to bring what is a ‘captured’ audience into the stores because you have a driver at the charging station for some 20-30 minutes charging their vehicle,” Halevi added. “You can incentivize them to come into the store to purchase food or drinks, certainly much more than a driver of an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle who comes to fill up their vehicle and then leaves.”
That means that a customer using their Journie Rewards can not only see how far along is the charging of the vehicle at the On the Run charging station, but can receive notice of a free or discounted coffee offering, a meal promotion or even an offer to use the site’s car wash facilities.
“This is a way to improve the overall quality of the customer experience both for the charging experience and for the store experience,” Halevi said.
“EV charging and energy management software is essential for ensuring the operational success of an EV charging network while delivering a positive and seamless driver experience.” said Andrew Bennett, CEO of Driivz. “To address drivers’ charging anxiety, EV charging providers must ensure optimal network performance through advanced tools that monitor network performance and proactively resolve issues. Additionally, scalability and business flexibility are crucial for supporting network expansion while maintaining a seamless charging experience. Driivz shares On the Run Charging’s commitment to enhancing the driver experience, and together, we will deliver these essential advancements to On the Run Charging customers.”
