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Creating and managing charge keys

Updated

A charge key serves as an identifier that the driver can use to initiate a charging session. With Spirii you can create and manage RFID, Virtual, and Vehicle (Autocharge) keys.

 

When the session is initiated, the system recognizes the owner of the key and how the session should be billed - without the driver having to manually select and enter a payment method.

The key can either be linked to a credit card via the Spirii Go or branded app (RFID keys only), or be set to monthly billing, where the selected billing customer receives a single invoice for all completed sessions that month.

In Spirii, we operate with 3 types of charge keys:

  • RFID key - a physical identifier used to authenticate charging via a key
  • Virtual key - a digital identifier used to authenticate charging via the app
  • Vehicle key - EV charging authentication via MAC address or VIN code (Autocharge)

The charge key needs to be created and activated in Spirii Connect with a defined billing customer before it can be used to initiate charging sessions.

 

Creating charge keys

All 3 types are managed in the Charge Keys section of Spirii Connect.

  1. Navigate to Charge Keys via the menu and click the Create Charge Key button
  2. Select the Billing Customer. This is the owner of the charge key and the entity that receives the monthly billing in case no credit card is attached to the key.
  3. Select the type of key.
  4. Depending on the type, enter the UID (Unique ID) of the key.
    1. For RFID, this is the physical and unique identifier of the RFID chip.
    2. For Virtual, this is autogenerated by the Spirii Connect system.
    3. For Vehicle, this is the MAC address / VIN code or similar of the car.
  5. Enter the label of the charge key. This is for example a label written on the RFID key (”DK.SPI.0001234”) or the vehicle number in your fleet “EVBUS.0007”. It needs to have a unique value in Spirii’s system.
  6. If the type is virtual, select the app user that this key should be available in the Spirii Go or branded app. Optionally, this can also be selected for RFID keys for credit card associations.
  7. Check the boxes if the key should be active and ready to charge on Spirii’s network right away, and also, if the key should be able to initiate charging on external roaming chargers across the world as well.
  8. Select when the key should be valid from, and optionally if it should expire at a given date.
  9. Finally, define the billing reference and any internal comments you might want to add to the key.
  10. Click save, and the charge key is created! 🚀

Bulk uploading multiple charge keys at once

If you have multiple keys you need to upload at once, you can also choose to upload a CSV file with the UID and labels of the keys.

  1. Perform steps 1-3 in the charge key creation process above
  2. Switch the “Upload multiple keys from a CSV file” setting to ON.
  3. Download the example CSV file and enter the UIDs and Labels of the charge key you want to create.
  4. Perform steps 7-9 in the charge key creation process above. All the keys from the CSV file will inherit these settings.
  5. Click save, and the charge keys are now created! 🚀

Assigning app users to existing RFID cards

Existing RFID keys in the platform can be assigned to a specific app user by:

  1. Open the RFID charge key

  2. Select the app user you want to associate with the key (This only works if the key is not already assigned to a user. Go to the app user to unbind the association if this is wrong)

Another way is to:

  1. Navigating to the App User via the menu - locate your app user
  2. In the charge keys list, find your charge key to bind

Managing a group of RFID cards:

In Spirii Connect, you have the option to create a Charge Key Group that multiple charge keys can be linked to.

<aside> 💡 When a location is bound to a charge key group, then only charge keys in this group can be used to initiate charging on this location. This serves as protection from outside drivers trying to use your chargers.

</aside>

  1. Go to Charge Keys via the menu
  2. Click View Groups in the top right corner
  3. Click Add New Group
  4. Specify the name (and the customer if you are managing the group on behalf of another customer)
  5. Click Save
  6. Go to the Locations tab and bind specific locations, if the charge keys should be able to activate specific charge points that are closed off to others.
  7. Go to the Charge Keys tab
  8. Find the charge key number in the list and bind each card to the list
  9. Make sure the keys are Active (can be edited on each charge key)
  10. Your key-holders are now able to charge using the charge keys

Alternatively, you can create a new charge key group directly from the location (under the Charge Key Group tab)