alohart said:
I plan to ask Electric Motor Werks about this. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please post them.
Here is the suggestion I sent to Electric Moto Werks:
I think you have a lot of potential, but the current approach is very hardware oriented and addresses the “hobbyist” market. EVs are going mainstream, the hobbyist market phase has ended. The UI of the “premium” JuiceBox looks like it was created in the 1990’s; it’s awful in 2015. It’s fine for hobbyists, but it won’t go mainstream. In 1990’s jargon, you need to “cross the chasm”. This is an unsolicited product management suggestion.
Discontinue the “Premium” version of the hardware, eliminate the kit offerings entirely and close your servers.
Put the control of all the “premium” features in software and provide access from mobile phone apps and/or a browser. This includes the ability to download charge history data (it could then be forwarded to a desktop/laptop for further analysis if desired). The cost of the wifi chip and a some non-volatile memory is the only real necessary hardware difference between “basic” and “premium” units offered today. The cost of those is negligible when compared with the cost of stocking parts and managing the builds of two different hardware units. Build one unit and get it UL approved. Customers who want the “premium” features can buy them at any time on your web site and you can then send a signal to the EVSE to enable the features purchased.
These changes in your approach to the business would have these benefits:
- reduce hardware engineering cost (it will just be a black box on the garage wall)
- reduce manufacturing cost (you can focus on minimizing the build cost of a single box)
- reduce parts, WIP and finished goods inventory cost
- you can offer a few variants on the basic unit, but the variations are just cables and connectors, the core box is identical
- eliminate the need and expense for maintaining your own servers to host customer data (even if they are hosted at Amazon or somewhere else) and the attendant privacy problems when it is eventually hacked. You will probably still need a firmware upgrade server, but it will not host any customer data, just the ability to push out updates. Hosting customer data (unless you’re planning to sell it) is a liability with no benefit to you or the customer.
- potential for various levels of “premium” product, each an incremental sale opportunity, for features that are not even envisioned today
- far superior UI on a mobile phone or web app when compared to the current premium product
- enables a lower “entry level” hardware product price and makes you price competitive with the “dumb” EVSE’s, while offering the ability to add features later. You could even price the entry level unit to undercut the pricing of the “dumb” EVSEs enabling you to buy market share knowing most customers will eventually buy more features (aka “razors and blades”) which are essentially pure profit.
The “smart” EVSE market is up for grabs and will be defined by reliable, easy to install hardware, and feature rich software.
I currently own a BWM i3 and since I’m remodeling my house I have only a 110v outlet in a rented condo from which to charge. This spring I’ll decide which EVSE to install in my “new” house. I hope that the JuiceBox will be a viable option.
