WEX and Qmerit Bring EV Charging to Fleet Drivers’ Homes

Commerce platform WEX has launched a partnership with electric vehicle (EV) charger installation provider Qmerit.

This collaboration is designed to streamline the installation of EV chargers at commercial fleet drivers’ homes, the companies said Thursday (Dec. 5).

“With electricians and other tradespeople in increasing demand, WEX’s partnership with Qmerit is meant to streamline the charger installation process, with ordering and installation functionality embedded within WEX’s fleet management software portal,” Jay Collins, senior vice president and general manager for EV and mobility at WEX, said in a news release.

“It is a win-win when fleet managers can allow drivers to charge their work vehicles overnight at home, so they’re ready for work the next day, and save money while doing so,” Collins added.

The partnership will see Qmerit draw on its network of 23,000 electricians — licensed, insured and trained on EV charging equipment — to provide home EV charging installation and integration.

The companies noted that one WEX client — Florida-based construction company Dallas 1 — realized cost savings of approximately over 60% per vehicle for fuel and maintenance after using  WEX EV At-Home, which lets commercial fleet drivers charge work EVs at home.

“Employees simply bring their work trucks home after their shift — and WEX’s detailed reporting and automated employee reimbursement is not only fully automated, it also seamlessly integrates into our existing bill and fleet management software portal,” said BJ Azzarelli, Dallas 1’s president.

PYMNTS examined the intersection of EVs, payments and commerce earlier this year in an interview with Julius Alexander III, the head of emerging payments at Discover® Global Network.

“EVs represent a tremendous amount of opportunity for the payments ecosystem,” Alexander told PYMNTS, highlighting that the shift to EVs requires the development of new payment solutions for both EV drivers and the sustainable mobility sector at large.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), sales of EVs jumped 35% last year, with an additional 3.5 million units sold worldwide over the previous year. The U.S. market alone its EV sales climbed by 60%.

And yet, the transition to electric vehicles is not as simple as flipping a switch. Scaling EV adoption, while offering plenty of opportunity, also presents challenges not found with the traditional petroleum-based experience.

“The payment process is extremely important, and it can help the industry achieve high levels of innovation while providing payment methods familiar to consumers in their daily lives,” Alexander said.