Sustainability is a topic on every boardroom's agenda in the desire to meet climate goals and support the circular economy. How workers travel and goods move across supply chains significantly contribute to an organization's carbon footprint. Consequently, there is pressure on the EV (electric vehicle) market to meet new demands, and the growth potential is massive. How can charging station providers and operators seize the opportunities? Furthermore, how can they strike the right balance – quite literally – to manage the power distribution (load balancing) across multiple vehicles and vehicle charging outside of peak times?
Ambika is a holistic, one-stop solution. As a modern charging station management system (CSMS), it is set to revolutionize the EV charging marketplace.
It’s estimated that Europe alone needs 65 million electric vehicle charging stations by 2035. EY (Ernst & Young Global Ltd) reported that it took ten years to install 400,000 chargers. The maths is not looking good. So, why is the demand for EVs threatening to overwhelm charging capacity? One reason is complexity; building charging infrastructure involves collaborating with multiple stakeholders across the public and private sectors, negotiating labyrinthine legal frameworks, and navigating fragmented IT landscapes reminiscent of the 1980s.
The challenges for charge point operators (CPOs) and e-mobility service providers (EMSPs) are compounded as potential stakeholders – along with their various IT systems, come and go, increasing their investment risk. Perhaps surprisingly, there is no established ecosystem for electric vehicle charging. The parties must juggle numerous manual processes, unravel poorly documented open protocols, and attempt to integrate disparate tools and incompatible hardware operating systems. And as if all this isn’t enough, a lack of visibility impedes their progress.
At ServiceNow, we’ve enjoyed a strategic partnership with T-Systems for several years. When they approached us about the challenges of the e-charger software market, we were only too happy to plug into the conversation! Like T-Systems, we believe that talking the green talk starts with walking it ourselves. We are committed to decarbonization, and T-Systems is investing heavily in a climate-neutral future.
Together, we built Ambika on a solid digital foundation; the Now Platform, trusted as the ‘platform of platforms’. We also joined forces with Enio, an Austrian start-up operating a charging station network for electric cars throughout Europe. Enio’s deep knowledge of the EV charging market, bolstered by T-Systems’ app development and integration expertise and our platform, proved a winning combination.
Comfort Charge, which operates charging stations for e-vehicles throughout Germany, successfully piloted Ambika, leading to its global launch in June 2022, a month after our announcement at our flagship annual event, Knowledge22.
Ambika is a holistic, one-stop solution for everyone involved in installing and operating charging stations. Benefits include:
Electric vehicles (EVs) are core to sustainable transportation and reducing harmful emissions for a greener world. But millions of new EVs will depend on a scalable charging infrastructure – otherwise, many obstacles will thwart the role they can play in meeting climate goals. We are delighted that T-Systems enables this infrastructure with Ambika. For the sake of future generations- and our very survival - we are continuing to innovate to find ways to help all industries put the environment first. Our collaboration with strategic partners like ServiceNow remains central to this; together, we are more than the sum of our parts.”
Alfred Vöhringer, Head of PreSales ServiceNow, T-Systems
What is Ambika?
It is a ready-to-use charging station management system (CSMS) delivered and supported by T-Systems. The system is end-to-end, from planning new electric charging stations to installation and day-to-day operations.
Who is Ambika for?
The system is designed to help electric vehicle charging providers and operators keep pace with the demand for EV stations by eliminating bottlenecks and simplifying their installation and operation. It will also help them deliver a better service to EV drivers.
Who are Ambika’s potential stakeholders?
Stakeholders include electric vehicle charge point operators, fleet management and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), real estate companies, retailers, hotels, airports, and utilities and grid operators.
When was Ambika launched?
The system came to the marketplace in June 2022, following its announcement at ServiceNow’s Knowledge22 event in the Hague, Netherlands, in May 2022.
Who is behind Ambika?
T-Systems led its development in co-innovation with ServiceNow, Enio - a well-known player in the e-mobility field, and Comfort Charge - a charge point operator and a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom.
How does Ambika work?
Enio’s ETSweb platform forms the backend; it supports the e-mobility infrastructure and integrates into the e-mobility landscape. The app enables all charging station management functionality in real-time, including billing and payments. ServiceNow’s Now platform forms the front end; it digitalizes and automates the workflows and processes around the e-mobility services, from initial planning to go-live and daily operations.
Comfort Charge successfully piloted the system in Austria. You can only get Ambika from T-Systems, who provides specialist consultancy and manage the overall service.
What does the name mean?
It means ‘mother’ or ‘warrior goddess’ and is named after Ambika Chopra Bhandari, a ServiceNow Solution Consultant. Ambika was given the honor of announcing the solution at ServiceNow’s flagship event in May 2022.
If you want T-Systems’ help making your EV charging ambitions a reality or would simply like an informal chat or advice, you can reach their Ambika team by emailing: ServiceNow@t-systems.com or contact them here.
