Safe, community solutions needed for EV charging in residential spaces – Maxson Lewis

Magenta has launched an EV charging solution, ChargeGrid Prisma, for residential complexes. We had a chat with MD Maxson Lewis to understand more about the solution.

Please tell us more about ChargeGrid Prisma.

Over the last one year, we worked with multiple RWA (Residential welfare Associations) and EV owners to understand the problem of residential EV charging and find suitable solutions. The outcome is a unique model which leverages the charging assets for EV charging across multiple users.

Prisma has been developed as a shared EV charging solution for residential societies, where not everyone has dedicated parking slots. While the pilots are in progress in multiple cities, one of the first to fully go live is at Gundecha Trillium, a large and forward-looking housing complex in Mumbai. This pilot was supported by Adani Electricity which is the utility supplier in the area.

Can you talk about the specifics of the charger?

It is a 7.5 kW Type 2 AC Charger for electric cars. We are also planning to launch a residential charging system for electric 2Ws in coming months.

Electric car OEMs also provide a charger with the purchase that can be installed by the user. What use case is Prisma trying to cater to?

What comes with the electric car is portable 3 pin socket with an MCB. It is essentially a safety device, but does not qualify as an EVSE. Even if a user has a dedicated parking spot, they will need an electrician to pull wires to the parking spot, which could be unsafe. Also, legally you can not consume the power meant from your apartment in your parking lot. Plus, you will need another billing meter for EV consumption. Prisma has been built to make EV charging setup a lot simpler and safer. It also comes with a software solution that can register EVs belonging to the residents, manage reservations and billing via integration with RWA’s facility management software.

We need shared solutions such as Prisma for community charging to prepare for deeper penetration of e-mobility when hundreds of cars in a residential complex will need charging access.

How is Prisma different from other chargers in Magenta’s ChargeGrid series?

It is designed for absolutely outdoor installation, includes a display and other advanced features that can help cater to fast DC charging in the future.

What role does the utility play in enabling installation of a solution like Prisma?

The service provider in this case is always the electricity distribution company, which in the case of Prisma’s first installation is Adani Electricity. The DISCOM supports with the process for installing EV billing meter, as well as performing a safety audit and ensuring that wiring from all the way from meter room to the charger is safely laid out.