FM Evolution: Connex 2021: Electric Vehicle Readiness Across FM

Quotes:

“You really want to make sure that you choose an asset and choose a partner that’s going to help you scale this program and get the best out of this investment.”

(8:10) – Christine Witte

“How many units do they have in the field? Are they battle-tested? What are they like to maintain? Does the company stand behind their product?… That’s all important stuff that they [facility managers] really need to look at.”

(9:37) – Chris Tracy

“If you’re at Target or a Walmart, the ROI may not be financial from profitability of that charging station… it may be guests coming into the store, buying more, staying longer, and getting that football.” (13:48) – Christine Witte

“So it’s just knowing what’s out there and not trying to do it all on your own. Finding somebody with the core competencies to make it end-to-end and super easy.”

(21:30) – Christine Witte

Fm Evolution: Connex 2021: Electric Vehicle Readiness Across FM With Chris Tracy & Christine Witte of SEAM Group

Connex is a multi-site facilities management association focused on empowering FM professionals with best practices, benchmarking, education, discussion forums, and trusted partnerships. This year while at Connex 2021, a bill passed allocating $7.5 billion towards integration and infrastructure of electric vehicles. Our host Shawn Black was beyond excited to sit down with Christine Witte and Chris Tracy of SEAM Group to discuss the readiness for these electric vehicles across the facility maintenance world. SEAM Group is a global energized asset optimization company focused on optimizing asset safety, reliability, and maintenance.

FM’s Role in EV Integration

One thing this pandemic has posed is putting a newfound pressure on facility managers. Electric vehicles have become another in the round of challenges that the FM world must learn how to deal with or break under pressure. Christine commends that the answer is to plan a program around integrating, maintaining, upgrading, and servicing all of the eventual EV charging stations.

The questions flooding in are: Where do we start? How do we find support? What is the basic framework of the programs we need to create SEAM Group is very passionate about creating a partnership to help FMs plan, integrate, commission, maintain, and scale their eclectic charging stations for their tenants, visitors, customers, and guests.

Knowing your building’s infrastructure, knowing the load you can place on it, knowing your clients and the type of charge their vehicle will need is just the beginning of preparing for this surge in EV use. With it being such a complex program, the communication between FM and it’s partner is crucial. Site and customer surveys will be the foundation, and then trial and error will have to be expected.

“You really want to make sure that you choose an asset and choose a partner that’s going to help you scale this program and get the best out of this investment.”

(8:10) – Christine Witte

Whether it be choosing a charger or car, they are all doing similar stuff, which makes it, yet again, another challenge in deciding. Chris recommends learning the company’s track record and safety record.

“How many units do they have in the field? Are they battle-tested? What are they like to maintain? Does the company stand behind their product? Are they UL, are they ETL certified? That’s all important stuff that they really need to look at.”

(9:37) – Chris Tracy

Key takeaway? Your job as a facility manager is to do your research and outsource help from a third party who is well versed in the EV industry.

ROI and Retail Stores

Realizing as an FM that these charging stations are not just about the station itself is crucial. Targets, Walmarts, and local shopping malls could end up having customers driving up in the morning, plugging in, and wandering around as people have in gas stations. The profitability may not be from the charging station, but guests coming into the store, buying more, and staying longer to get that football, bag of candy or shirt, can make all the difference.

“If you’re at Target or a Walmart, the ROI may not be financial from profitability of that charging station… it may be guests coming into the store, buying more, staying longer and getting that footfall. (13:48) – Christine Witte

Next Steps For Those Integrating EV

There are turnkey companies like Charge Lab or AmpUp; you can take the fears and confusion out of the equation when transitioning to EV. They will come in, analyze your fleet, tell you what you’re already spending and take that same amount to electrify everything. This could be paid off in five years and sometimes even have savings in it for you.

“So it’s just knowing what’s out there and not trying to do it all on your own. Finding somebody with the core competencies to make it end-to-end and super easy.”

(21:30) – Christine Witte