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Limited Flexibility for Operators

While Portugal’s regulatory framework for electric mobility ensures a fair and accessible system, it also imposes constraints on operators, limiting their ability to customize offerings. This restriction impacts their capacity to innovate and provide tailored services to users.

Key Concerns

  1. Inability to Offer Promotions or Discounts:
    Regulatory constraints prevent operators from implementing promotional strategies, such as discounts or loyalty rewards, which could enhance user satisfaction and attract more EV users.

  2. Lack of Differentiation in Pricing Models:
    Operators are limited in creating unique pricing models or services that cater to diverse user needs, reducing competitiveness in the market.

  3. Challenges in Innovating User-Centric Solutions:
    The regulatory environment restricts operators from experimenting with personalized solutions that could improve the overall EV charging experience.

Suggested Improvements

  1. Enable Promotional Strategies:
    Allow operators to offer promotions, discounts, or loyalty programs that benefit users, provided they adhere to fairness and transparency standards. Examples could include:
  2. Seasonal discounts.
  3. Free charging credits for frequent users with partner CEMEs.

  4. Discounts for using specific chargers during off-peak hours.

  5. Support Differentiated Services:
    Introduce flexibility in pricing structures, enabling operators to tailor services for various user segments, such as:

  6. Subscription-based plans for frequent users.

  7. Pay-as-you-go models.

  8. Encourage Innovation in User Experience:
    Modify the regulatory framework to allow pilot programs where operators can test new user-centric solutions with other CEMEs, and creating under OCPI to allow all CEMEs to have that offers available (the CEMEs will need to have the implementation of subscriptions and pay them to the operators).

Potential Benefits

  • Enhanced User Experience:
    Promotional strategies and tailored pricing models make charging more appealing and accessible for users.

  • Increased Market Competitiveness:
    Flexibility enables operators to differentiate themselves, fostering healthy competition.

  • Accelerated EV Adoption:
    User-friendly innovations and incentives encourage more drivers to switch to electric vehicles.

Adapting the regulatory framework to allow greater operator flexibility would strengthen Portugal’s position as a leader in sustainable electric mobility while maintaining fairness and accessibility for all stakeholders.