ABB and AWS Partner for EV Fleet Management Platform

ABB and AWS Collaborate on Cloud-Based EV Fleet Management

ABB, a leading Swiss automation and technology firm, has announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop a new cloud-based platform designed for managing electric vehicle (EV) fleets. This initiative aims to accelerate the transition to electric fleets for businesses.

The platform’s rollout is anticipated in the latter half of 2021, and it is intended to assist fleet operators in maintaining operational efficiency during their shift to electric vehicles.

Growing Electrification Trends

This collaboration follows commitments from numerous major delivery companies to electrify their vehicle fleets. Amazon is already deploying Rivian-built electric delivery vans in California, with plans to have 10,000 operational this year.

UPS has ordered 10,000 electric vans from Arrival, while DHL currently operates with 20% electric vehicles in its fleet. FedEx has set a goal to fully electrify its fleet by 2040.

A 2020 McKinsey report forecasts that the U.S. could see up to eight million EVs in commercial and passenger fleets by 2030, a significant increase from the fewer than 5,000 vehicles in 2018. This represents approximately 10-15% of all fleet vehicles.

ABB’s Vision for Scalable EV Adoption

“Our objective is to simplify and enhance the scalability of EV adoption for fleets,” stated Frank Muehlon, President of ABB’s e-mobility division, in an interview with TechCrunch. “Progress requires collaboration between leading experts and a proactive approach to product development.”

Synergies Between ABB and AWS

ABB contributes its expertise in e-mobility solutions, energy management, and charging technologies. This will be integrated with AWS’s cloud infrastructure and software capabilities.

The resulting platform will offer a unified view and can be customized to meet the specific needs of each user.

Companies will gain the ability to monitor crucial aspects such as charge scheduling, EV maintenance status, and route optimization, factoring in variables like time of day, weather conditions, and usage patterns.

Muehlon indicated that they will collaborate with clients to leverage existing fleet data for quicker implementation.

Global Scalability and Hardware Agnosticism

Hosted on the AWS cloud, the platform benefits from global scalability, currently available across 25 regions worldwide.

The platform is designed to be hardware-agnostic, ensuring compatibility with any EV model or charging station. Software integration will depend on the fleet’s access to third-party asset management systems and onboard EV telematics.

A layered feature approach will be implemented, with each layer providing increasingly precise vehicle data.

Muehlon believes this creates a more streamlined experience compared to existing charging management software, which often lack the technological capacity and flexibility to support the full spectrum of EV models and charging infrastructure.

Addressing Fleet Management Challenges

“Fleet managers face challenges related to the rapid evolution of charging technology, the need for real-time vehicle and charging status updates, access to charging infrastructure, and information for maintenance,” explained Muehlon.

“This new EV fleet management solution will establish new benchmarks in electric mobility, benefiting global fleet operators and improving their operational performance.”

Target Applications and Pilot Programs

The software is targeted towards depot fleets, commercial fleets, and public infrastructure fleets.

While Muehlon refrained from naming specific EV operators or customers, he confirmed that “several pilot programs are underway,” which will “ensure we are developing market-ready solutions for diverse fleet types.”

These pilots will be instrumental in refining the platform and ensuring its suitability for a wide range of applications.