Andrew Bennett is the Chief Executive Officer of Driivz, a Vontier Company. Driivz brings together two of Vontier’s key emobility areas of expertise — all-in-one EV charging and energy management software. We spoke to Andrew to find out more about his career, and what the future holds for the charging and energy industry.
What EV are you currently driving? Why did you choose it?
“I currently own a BMW i5, which is my second EV after a Tesla Model 3. The switch to a BMW was motivated by a desire to experience non-Tesla public charging infrastructure, which is extremely relevant to my area of work”.
What was your motivation for working in emobility?
“My long-standing interest in energy and renewables saw the move to Driivz as a perfect intersection between technological advancements in mobility and environmental challenges. There’s also satisfaction to be gained from contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases through my work”.
What are EV drivers seeking in a charging experience?
“Primarily, ease of use is paramount for EV charging customers, mirroring the seamless experience of traditional gasoline fueling — which Tesla has set a benchmark in. While other software features are appealing, the fundamental desire is for a hassle-free charging process.”
How do you view the evolving perception of EV charging time, as public chargers get more powerful?
“Complaints from EV drivers about charging duration are decreasing, as people utilize the charging time for activities. This is particularly notable in locations with amenities, such as the value of having convenience store experiences coupled with fast charging”.
Is there a potential rationalisation within the complex EV charging hardware and software space?
“Hardware rationalisation is already occurring, as the market consolidates towards a few key charger companies. We expect a similar consolidation to occur within the Charge Point Management System segment, though the success of these providers will be dependent on the success of their CPO customers”.
What’s next for software-enabled charging infrastructure, and what will its benefits be for mainstream EV drivers?
“An initial focus within the charging industry on network uptime and transaction speed is now expanding to energy management. A recent survey we conducted shows it has become a key concern for CPOs. This has been caused by both higher energy costs and grid inflexibility.
In response to this, Driivz is investing heavily in real-time embedded energy management solutions to optimise charging based on grid conditions and energy availability.”
How important are solar and battery-enabled charging sites?
“This is a significant area of focus for Driivz. Initially, we focused on the management of electricity flow at charging sites, to maximise charging efficiency and prevent outages. Now, leveraging expertise from Driivz’s wider team we can integrate local solar and battery storage to further develop peak demand management — also allowing for participation in additional revenue streams such as the flexibility markets.
This approach is becoming increasingly adopted, particularly in Europe. Local batteries are often crucial for maintaining stable charging due to a less robust distribution system, with a study showing that over 80% of those surveyed planned to integrate battery storage into their sites in the near future.”
Many thanks to Andrew for taking part in our EV Leaders series. You can find out more about Driivz’s work, here.
