Introduction: The Shift Beyond Availability

Across the globe, governments, Charge Point Operators (CPOs), and OEMs are accelerating the rollout of EV charging infrastructure. The most common metric celebrated in headlines and dashboards? Charger availability, often reported as the percentage of time chargers are online or “visible” in a network.

But a key question goes unasked:
Available to whom, and how usable is that availability?

In real-world usage, availability numbers frequently mask poor user experiences. A charger might appear available on an app but fail to initiate or complete a session. EV drivers and fleet operators are noticing, and it's costing the industry trust, time, and revenue.

The new reality is clear: It’s time to redefine uptime. Reliability, not just availability, will determine the pace and success of eMobility.

Availability vs. Reliability: Why the Distinction Matters

Availability

• Measures if a charger is connected to the backend (CMS) and technically online

• Usually based on OCPP status messages

• Can overrepresent usability, a charger may be marked available even if a key connector is faulted

Reliability

• Measures how consistently a charger completes successful, error-free charging sessions

• Reflects actual user experience and performance

• Takes into account issues like payment failures, incomplete sessions, slow response times, or charger-controller mismatches

Real-World Examples

• A connector fault (e.g., DC port failure) does trigger a status notification via OCPP, but availability reporting may still consider the charger as “partially available.” In cases where a charger has both AC and DC connectors, and the DC connector, typically higher-powered and more frequently used, is faulted, user experience suffers despite reported uptime.

• A site may show high uptime based on backend availability, yet suffer low session success rates due to software-level issues like payment gateway errors, CMS-app sync delays, or firmware mismatches. These go unaccounted for in availability metrics but directly impact session success and driver trust.

Why Reliability Matters More Than Ever

1. Fleets Are Scaling
   Commercial EV adoption is rising. Fleets require infrastructure that performs, not just infrastructure that appears online.

2. Trust Drives Behaviour
   One failed charging session can lead a driver to abandon an entire network. Reliable performance builds repeat usage and long-term trust.

The Hidden Cost of Poor Reliability

Lost Revenue
Every failed session is a lost transaction. At scale, these losses add up significantly.

High Support Volume
More charging issues mean more support calls, driving up cost per session and operational load.

Brand Erosion
Regardless of the root cause, poor charging experiences are attributed to the network or vehicle brand, affecting long-term reputation.

Slower EV Adoption
Unreliable charging discourages new adopters, slowing down mass EV transition despite infrastructure growth.

What Reliability Looks Like in Practice

To move beyond passive monitoring, networks must start actively measuring, managing, and improving reliability. Key components include:

1. Predictive Over Reactive
   Use real-time telemetry and historical fault patterns to detect and resolve issues before users are impacted.

2. Advanced Reliability Metrics

   • Session success rate

   • First-attempt success rate

   • Charger health scoring (e.g., r-score equivalents)

3. Fault Classification & Remote Resolution
   Go beyond "it failed" to understand what failed, why, and whether it can be remotely resolved.

4. System-Wide Sync and Visibility
   Ensure seamless coordination between the CMS, mobile apps, and payment systems to avoid false success indicators and sync failures.

How the Industry Can Improve Reliability

1. Update KPIs
   Move beyond uptime to track real-time, session-level success and failure rates.

2. Modernize Monitoring Tools
   Use platforms that offer network intelligence, not just status dashboards, to classify and resolve issues accurately.

3. Optimize CMS & App Reliability
   Backend reliability matters just as much as hardware health. Prioritize smooth sync between chargers, apps, and control systems.

4. Revise Procurement Criteria
   Tenders must evolve to include proven metrics of session reliability, not just installation counts or nominal uptime.

Conclusion: Trust Is the Real Infrastructure

EV adoption won’t be sustained by availability alone. It will grow through confidence - built on charging networks that perform reliably in the real world.

That’s why in Iris Network, we go beyond availability to measure, manage, and improve charger reliability across hardware and software layers.

Learn about Steam-A and discover how we’re helping CPOs build networks users trust.