The automotive industry is on the front lines of global sustainability efforts. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), fossil fuels accounted for 80% of the total energy supply in 2020 and the transportation sector was the second-largest greenhouse gas emitting sector in 2020. See how Future Energy and Stellantis are working together to prepare dealerships for electrification.
Forward-thinking original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are developing decarbonization strategies to address sustainability efforts. By 2030, for example, Stellantis plans to launch at least 25 different types of electric vehicles (EVs) across its broad brand portfolio.
Instead of leaving dealerships to handle the transition to electrification on their own though, Stellantis is providing support for its dealer network.
The company is working with the National Dealer Council to develop long-term plans that support dealership success in the incorporation of EVs into the inventory.
To facilitate and guide the company’s commitment to electrification, Stellantis began working in partnership with Future Energy in March of 2021. As partners, Stellantis and Future Energy are collaborating to develop a thorough, thoughtful approach to ease the transition for dealerships. Future Energy is providing Stellantis with comprehensive evaluations and EV integration services as Stellantis readies its dealer networks for the future.
Evaluating Dealership Readiness
Stellantis announced that it wants all of its 2,600-plus North American dealers to sell EVs and is aiming for its dealers to have their charging infrastructure installed by the first quarter of 2024. As of December 2022, Future Energy is helping nearly 70% of Stellantis dealers assess their readiness for electrification.
Working with Future Energy, Stellantis dealers do not need to independently purchase EV chargers and unravel the complexities of installation. Instead, Future Energy provides “one-stop shopping” with a customized EV Impact Study™ to identify the unique needs of each dealership.
Identifying Energy Requirements
Stellantis has asked dealers to incorporate level 3 EV chargers into their electrification plans. Level 3, or direct-current fast chargers, can fully charge an EV in about half an hour, making them the quickest chargers available.
Generally, Future Energy recommends that dealerships also install level 2 chargers as part of a comprehensive energy management strategy. Level 2 chargers, the most common type of charger, use alternating current and charge at about 40 miles of range per hour. Most dealerships benefit from strategic installation of both level 2 and level 3 chargers. Dealers can charge EV inventory overnight using level 2 chargers and keep level 3 chargers available for urgent needs.
Future Energy helps calculate a dealership’s unique electrical requirements for its specific EV charging needs. We also help businesses identify ideal locations for EV charging station installation, both outside and inside the building.
For example, there are different requirements for an EV charging station located in a service bay than a public-facing EV charger outside the showroom.
Educating Dealership Staff
One of Future Energy’s core principles is instruction. At the dealership level, we educate the staff so that they fully understand how to operate, manage, and maintain the new electrical infrastructure and EV charging technology. Staff training also integrates EV sales strategies.
At the level of the OEM, Future Energy works alongside Stellantis to help identify the short- and long-term operational impacts on their business objectives related to EV integration.
Discovering Financial Incentives
Like all Future Energy clients, Stellantis has access to our Financial Incentive National Database (FIND) tool. The FIND tool instantly and accurately identifies available rebates, tax breaks, and grants at the federal, state, and local level.
The FIND tool has proven especially useful for OEMs that have dealerships at numerous locations spread throughout North America. Future Energy helps individual dealerships apply for available funds from the more than 3,300 local utilities in the United States. These funds can help offset much of the cost of EV charger installation.
Providing EV Integration Services to Dealerships
In March 2022, Stellantis unveiled its Dare Forward program. Dare Forward outlines a plan for how Stellantis plans to meet carbon neutrality goals by 2038 while continuing to create value for stakeholders.
Planning to Increase EV Inventory
Stellantis is aiming for global EV sales of five million units by 2030. Honda, Ford, GM, Hyundai, and other manufacturers have announced similar plans to ramp up EV production.
For all OEMs, one of the major challenges to a quick rise in EV inventory is optimizing the hardware infrastructure necessary to charge them.
Installing and Maintaining EV Chargers and Infrastructure
Future Energy is working with Stellantis to address technology challenges in two primary ways:
Providing ongoing support, including maintenance and warranty programs
Many utility companies cannot deliver adequate power to dealerships to support EV charging requirements, given a dealership’s current electrical infrastructure. Future Energy is assisting Stellantis dealerships in the steps to have the infrastructure in place to support the electrification of their inventory.
Creating an EV Charging Network
To monitor and manage electricity use, Future Energy offers a robust software platform called Interface. Interface integrates with EV charging hardware and all the other electrical systems on a dealership’s property.
Businesses such as Stellantis use Interface to make better decisions, reduce energy costs, and help meet sustainability requirements.
Futureproofing Dealerships with EV Charging Solutions
Constant energy use monitoring helps businesses cut expenses by staying within their peak demand. Peak demand, a measure of maximum draw from the grid at one time, is how utilities set a company’s electric rate for the entire year.
Shifting the Energy Load
The use of Future Energy’s Interface software helps dealerships schedule EV charging for fleets at advantageous times to keep energy costs down. For example, most utility companies reduce the cost per kilowatt substantially for energy used during off-peak hours, such as overnight.
Interface provides data so that dealerships can optimize EV charging solutions for their inventory. The software facilitates access to information such as the number of EVs charged, the power use of EV chargers, EV charging session scheduling, and charging efficiency.
To achieve carbon net zero by 2038, Stellantis has to be able to account for emissions throughout its value chain. That includes tracking downstream metrics, such as emissions for which its dealerships are responsible. These indirect emissions, or scope 3 emissions, comprise 60% to 90% of a company’s emissions.
Future Energy’s Interface software provides a centralized dashboard that consolidates sustainability metrics from all of an OEM’s subsidiaries. That way, OEMs such as Stellantis can carefully monitor energy use.
Collaborating on Electrification Strategies with Future Energy
Future Energy is proud to partner with Stellantis on its bold, innovative electrification strategy. Contact Future Energy today to find out how our EV charging consultants and team of experts can customize a strategy that fits your business.
Posted By Sam DiNello
Sam DiNello is Chief Executive Officer at Future Energy. He is an expert in the EV infrastructure space and passionate about innovative data-driven solutions that help companies access real-time intelligence for real-time action.
