EQUANS ensures future-proof charging infrastructure for Rotterdam

In the coming years, EQUANS will provide the charging infrastructure for the Municipality of Rotterdam using the Last Mile Solutions platform.

Under the auspices of the Municipality of Rotterdam, 30 municipalities united as the Collaborative Municipalities of South Holland (SGZH) called for tenders regarding the roll-out of the charging infrastructure for electric mobility in the region. For this tender, EQUANS (the new name for ENGIE Services) was looking for a partner for the digital services in and around the charging stations to be installed, and found it in Last Mile Solutions.

Rotterdam has set itself the aim of ensuring that the charging infrastructure can never be the impeding factor in the transition to electric transport. It must be possible for all (new) EV drivers to charge their cars within walking distance. Rotterdam was looking for the best possible service provision for this process and put out a tender that was won by EQUANS with support from Last Mile Solutions.

EQUANS and Last Mile Solutions

EQUANS will play two roles for the Municipality of Rotterdam: those of Charge Point Operator (CPO) and e-Mobility Service Provider (eMSP). In its role of CPO, EQUANS is responsible for the installation, operation, management and maintenance of the charging stations, acting as a project manager and driving innovation. By supplying charging cards and a user-friendly charging app, EQUANS will also act as the eMSP.

Last Mile Solutions supplies the Software as a Service (SaaS) platform which EQUANS can use to fulfil its CPO and eMSP roles with ease and efficiency. All the charging stations will be powered by the Last Mile Solutions software, covering a period of more than 8 years.

What does the LMS platform have to offer?

Among other things, EQUANS and the municipality use the platform for smart maintenance of the charging infrastructure. The near real-time status of the charging stations is shared with EQUANS through data connections. Malfunctions can then be identified with smart software even before the end user notices or reports them. By using this system, the LMS platform can guarantee an uptime of 99.8%.

Invoicing and payments

LMS handles all the invoicing and payments to all parties concerned on behalf of EQUANS. In addition to charging with a charging card, EV drivers will also be able to pay direct using an app. EQUANS has chosen the standard LMS app that EV drivers – either registered or not – can use to start and pay for a charging session with a credit card or PayPal. iDEAL, Google Pay and Apple Pay will be added as payment methods in the future.

All payments are safe and secured according to European laws and regulations. This ensures that EQUANS, Rotterdam and the end users can rely on transactions that meet the highest standards when it comes to data protection and personal data.

Smart Charging

Smart charging is another important aspect on which EQUANS and LMS are collaborating. Due to the rise in the number of electric cars and charging stations, the pressure on the power grid is increasing. EQUANS and LMS have submitted a proposal to the city of Rotterdam to make it the largest testing ground in the world for smart charging.

Roaming throughout Europe

Residents and commuters in the 30 affiliated municipalities can request a charging card from EQUANS, which they can use to safely and reliably charge vehicles throughout the region without any roaming fees or additional costs. In addition, the card can be used in the entire European charging network supported by LMS, which is the largest in Europe with 300,000 charging points.

The combined capabilities of EQUANS and Last Mile Solutions ensure that Rotterdam will have the most advanced and reliable charging services, both now and for many years to come.