Principles of tariff management systems

be.ENERGISED provides one of the most flexible tariff management systems in the industry. The software is able to automatically settle time-controlled, station- and customer-specific individual tariff constructs. The extensive functionality and also the possible flexibility of the system, however, demand at the beginning of the configuration a detailed planning of the desired results.

This article explains the basic operation of tariff management and explains the steps associated with the implementation.

General structure

The tariff management of be.ENERGISED is fundamentally composed of 2 component parts:

• Cost rates: defines the price of a charging-condition
  (e.g.: AC charging costs 2 Euro, DC charging costs 6 Euro)
• Tariff: defines when which charging-conditions has to be applied
  (e.g.: if connector = AC, then use cost rate AC…)

Cost rates

A cost rate defines a charging-condition (e.g. AC 11 kW) for a charging process. You may create as many cost rates as you like.

Cost rates may include the following conditions*:

• One-time fee
• Consumption-based fee
• Time related fee
• Combinations of fees listed above
  (e.g.: price per kWh + parking fee per started hour) 

In the example mentioned above 5 Euro will be charged per half hour or part thereof, but only a maximum of 15 Euro. It is recommended not to charge the first 2 minutes in order to avoid possible customer complaints in the event of incorrect operation or charging interruptions by the vehicle.

When creating the cost rates, the start and end of each interval must be defined as shown above. 

For further explanation of the tariff management, see the webinar below (German only!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWZGC-bW0PQ

Tariffs

A tariff generally defines at what time, at which charging station, to which customers, etc. a cost rate should be applied. This allows you to specify that a customer who is assigned to this tariff, for example, use the AC cost rate for AC charging connections, but the DC charging rate for DC charging connections. This structure of tariff management enables a dynamic cost structure.

The following tariffs can be selected:

• EMP sales rate:
  is assigned to an identification medium and charged to the end customer
• EMP sales rate (Managed by eMSP.OPERATIONS)
  already contains full pricing of roaming operations; These do not have to be created and maintained by you. The individual cost structure for using your own infrastructure remains with you.
• Charging point rate (roaming)
  Usage of this tariff is only possible in conjunction with a fee-based roaming interface. The tariff defines costs that are charged to EMPs when their customers use their charging infrastructure. Charging tariffs (CPO tariffs) can only be assigned to charging point. In addition, CPO rates have no effect on own customers, they only affect transactions with third parties (roaming-charges).
• Fleet management rate
  special rate
• Purchase and sales price definition
  creates a master tariff that can be inherited, to simplify the creation and maintenance of different tariff models.

Prioritisation settings within tariffs

A tariff defines through the assignment of cost rates the appropriate terms and conditions for a charging process. Charging processes of your own contract customers are billed with the assigned EMP sales rate. The charging point rate (roaming) only applies to "external customers" who do not have a contractual relationship with the backend operator. 

The system proceeds according to the following sequence whereby the respective first entry has the highest priority. If this cannot be found or satisfied, the next point will apply, if this is not satisfied the third etc. The system distinguishes between the following load processes:

EMP rates

Client is the owner of the customer card but not the charging station (roaming across be.ENERGISED Hub)

In this case be.ENERGISED prioritizes as follows:

1. Dedicated Charging points /charging port
2. Foreign Sub CPO
3. Foreign CPO
4. Standard cost rate

Client is the owner of the customer card and the charging station (charging on its own infrastructure)

In this case be.ENERGISED prioritizes as follows:

1. Dedicated Charging points /charging port
2. Connection type
3. Private Sub-EMP
4. Standard cost rate

Client is the owner of the customer card but not the charging station (roaming charging external)

In this case be.ENERGISED prioritizes as follows:

1. Dedicated EVSE ID
2. Provider Product (if supplied, for example. Inter batch)
3. Foreign CPO
4. Standard cost rate

CPO prices

Client is the owner of the charging station but not the customer card (roaming across be.ENERGISED Hub)

In this case be.ENERGISED proceeds after the following prioritization:

1. Foreign Sub EMP
2. Foreign EMP
3. Standard cost rate

First steps

In order to establish a settlement in your infrastructure proceed as follows:

• Allocate a cost rate for each desired fee-structure in the currency that you wish. To do this, click the menu item Cost rates on the button Add cost rate.
• After you have added a cost rate, it will be shown in the list of cost rates. Now click on the button Conditions at the present cost rate and record the time- and performance-based conditions. Please also note that you enter the appropriate descriptions and explanations for each language needed. The end customer sees merely the description of the cost rate in the mobile app or the customer portal, price configurations are not displayed.
• If you have created all relevant cost rates, go to the menu item Rates and set via the button Add rate a new tariff.
• You can also get to the detailed configuration of the tariff via the tab Conditions. Configure your rate now as described in the paragraph below.
• Fill out the mandatory marketing data at least in English. The description of the tariff is shown on the invoice.
• EMP sales rates are assigned to an identification medium (RFID card). Charging point rates are assigned to a charging point.

Establishing tariff conditions for sale prices

Tariff conditions for charging processes are handled by the system according to the following procedure: When billing a charging process be.ENERGISED checks if price configurations are set. If no price configuration is defined, the standard cost rate is used; and if the standard cost rate is not configured, the amount 0 will be charged. Price configurations always require a validity period.

In principle, configurations which are most precisely defined, will be used. For example: Type 2 11 kW AC is more precisely defined as AC only.

Establishing tariff rates for purchase prices

The tariff management supports not only the configuration of the sales prices but also the possibility to record purchasing conditions. Purchasing conditions for charging processes are relevant, for example, when your customer performs a roaming-charging process on a charging station which is operated by a third-party CPO/company. With a detailed record of a purchase condition, invoices of third-party CPOs can be checked quickly and easily.

Purchase conditions are required if credits are to be created for sub-CPOs. They are created as cost rates in exactly the same way as the tariffs (explained above) and are then defined in the tab Purchasing conditions.