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A group of Europe’s leading smart charging solutions providers have pledged to open their networks for drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK by the end of 2019.
Allego, EVBox, NewMotion, Chargemap, ChargePoint, Charge4Europe, Engenie, Franklin Energy, and Travelcard have signed the agreement, which aims to give easy access to charging infrastructure.
When implemented, the agreement will mean EV drivers in the UK only require a single subscription to access public charging stations operated by any of the signatories.
In addition to accepting each other’s subscribers, the operators will share charging station information so data can be used to improve the charging experience for customers.
This aims to make it easy for EV drivers to see where and if a charge point is available for charging and what a charging session will cost at the specific charge point.
Infrastructure in the UK currently trails behind other European markets in terms of interoperability agreements.
Currently, EV drivers need memberships to multiple different operators to be able to fully access every available public charge point.
This, says the signatories, has created an inconsistent experience for customers, whereas a more joined-up, consumer friendly public charging network could make EVs more desirable.
Moreover, interoperability agreements in markets such as the Netherlands, France and Germany have been accredited with fuelling the switch over to EVs, they say.
Creating a more joined-up and coherent public charging network is especially critical for the UK, which has stated an intention to remove traditional combustion engine vehicles from its roads by 2040.
On a European level it is expected that by 2025 there will need to be at least 1.2 million public charging stations to meet the growing need for EV charging.
Matt Western MP, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on electric vehicles, said: “I support this move – which will make it easier for drivers to charge up their electric vehicles, and therefore, make the purchase and maintenance of them more accessible to consumers and the wider public.
“The climate emergency is a global issue – and cutting our emissions is a vital solution to this pressing problem. It is a positive step that companies in different countries are working together to create a better charging experience for everybody.
“I have long believed that the country needs a National Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy to deal with issues around accessibility. This announcement from the collaborating parties in e-mobility is absolutely a step in the right direction.”
When roaming for charging infrastructure becomes more accessible, drivers will have a choice in which mobility service provider (MSP) company they want to use.
Drivers will be able to pay for their charging session with one single subscription via their app or token and all payments of the provider will be collected on one bill.
This, says the providers, is an advantage for all, especially for business drivers, who no longer need to manually ask for reimbursement for multiple accounts from their employer.
Fleets will be able to manage all their billing, settlement and reimbursement automatically with one organisation.
Sytse Zuidema, CEO of NewMotion, said: “This partnership is a landmark moment for the UK’s public charging infrastructure that will help to breakdown one of the key barriers hampering the uptake of EVs.
“NewMotion’s wider experience in Europe, where we have a public network of over 118,000 charge points, has shown that making charging more accessible and easy helps encourage EV adoption.
“As such, we’re excited to be part of a partnership that will no doubt help drive EV adoption across the country.”
The agreements between charge point operators are based on the Open Charge Point Interface, a standardised and open-source protocol that is commonly used in the charging industry in Europe.
The initiators of this letter of intent also welcome other interested charge point operators and mobility service providers to participate in this initiative.
The agreement comes after Allstar launched an EV fuel card. The new Allstar One Electric card, from Allstar Business Solutions, aims to support fleet customers switching to full electric or hybrid company vehicles.
The fuel card provider says it combines all the benefits of the Allstar One card, but now enables drivers to pay for EV charging across a multi-branded electric charging network. Allstar’s growing EV charging network includes Engenie, Source London, GeniePoint and ESB EV Solutions.
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Definitely a step forward.
I have looked at the logistics for an EV car next. For me in N Wales and according to ZapMap EV mapping, of my nearest 11 towns, not one is mapped.
Im wondering if this is correct and thinking surely not but in any case, for now at least, I just cannot take the gamble. It’s got to be diesel for me.
My views on EV’s truly are fantastic but drastic change calls for drastic measures. I really do believe that we need to stop wasting time and money on the current method and go one of two ways;
1) Contactless charging on road and at home with pay as you go. It’s possible but the cost of infrastructure & disruption is phenomenal.
2) Common, interchangeable batteries. So rather than charging yourself you just drive into a fuel station and change batteries. This is also possible and I really don’t understand why I haven’t read about it. Burying the batteries deep in the car will cause mayhem in the future when they fail/need replacing.
Life in the future, as is, will see extension leads draped all over our pavements. I’ve already seen dozens of images on social media. Every single parking spot will need a charger. We’ll all be spending 10 mins or more in driving rain hooking them up…….every day. More time for those of us who will need to charge both ways.
I know now it’s coming, I know I can’t stop it but I’m really not looking forward to it.
? I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it ?
Wayne you make a lot of good points and what you have done is showed the difference between having a home charger and not. EV range is increasing rapidly so having an ev that goes 250+ miles on a single charge and be able to charge at home makes evs increasingly easy to use.
I think BMW are the only manufacturer looking at contact-less charging, but i do believe within a few years we will have batteries that can charge to full as quickly as filling your tank.
The fact you have zero charging points in your location is a disgrace, your council, and the Welsh Government, should be embarrassed by this.
Thank you Brydo. If electric fill-up can be that fast in the future then that would be brilliant. I agree that the evolution of the battery has come so far and is evolving faster than ever right now.
My search of EV points, to be fair, was only on the one app. Surely we can’t be devoid of charge points in the area!?
Certainly an interesting and thought provoking post you’ve started there.
??
? I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it ?
Noticed the other day that some yet to be let new build houses near me have car charging points on there drives.
Range is still a problem…
https://www.carscoops.com/2019/09/tesla-model-s-police-car-runs-low-on-juice-mid-pursuit/
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Chris I think all new build hoses in England must have a charging point installed.
As in the future, gas will be phased out they really should have solar panels and electric heating installed also.
Houses not hoses lol.
?? How embarrassing
Cop: We’re in hot pursuit…………..oh wait, my battery’s died
Dispatcher: I told you to take your Juice power bank. ?
? I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it ?
I have mixed feelings about EV. Like many things about them but , like many, have concerns about range.
I have downloaded an app from the Jaguar website which monitors my driving habits and shows a breakdown of every journey and equates it to the battery charge used and cost for electric consumption.
Ive used it for two months now and as my Mazda is only 4 months old and assuming the app still keeps running, it will be Make interesting reading over the next 2 years or so and help inform me if I could live with an EV.
Wayne i thought this might interest you.
The Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio, in a bid to win over new customers, is waiving the fees for something that could be a real selling point in the increasingly tight Chinese EV market: battery swapping.
The company had installed 80 battery swap stations in China in 2018 and now has well over 100 of them. It had planned to install 1,100 of them across China by 2020.
Nio has been charging about $25 for each battery swap, according to Automotive News, or about $130 for a monthly subscription, although the company included 12 free battery swaps a year for early reservation-holders and those who bought the Founders Edition version of its upscale ES8 electric SUV.
A full battery swap takes just three minutes, which gets owners a fully charged battery faster than the fastest-charging models on the market, including the Tesla Model 3 and upcoming Porsche Taycan.
The ES8’s 70-kwh liquid-cooled lithium-ion pack is otherwise good for gaining 62 miles in 10 minutes from a fast charger (on hardware running at its rated 90-kw peak or higher).
Earlier in the decade a startup called Better Place tried to standardize and popularize the idea of battery swapping. But it found a host of barriers, including swapping stations that were expensive to build, battery packs that were heavy to move around, and resistance to standardization.
Tesla also tried battery swapping and had the process, provided to a number of owners at Harris Ranch, California, down to just 90 seconds. But after a limited pilot program the company abandoned the idea in favor of a stronger Supercharger network.
he offer comes, of course, just as Tesla is rapidly expanding its network of Superchargers in China and working toward production of the Model 3 in China by the end of the year. Tesla’s Supercharger V3 hardware is capable of adding about 75 miles of range in just 4 minutes.
Nio also operates a charging network in China, and has been looking for a buyer for its power systems business in China. Amid lagging sales there it’s pulled back from ambitious U.S. plans as well—even though it trades on the New York Stock Exchange.
Will battery swapping give Nio enough of a boost in its home market to revive its international push?
Morning Brydo. Late night? ?
Wow, really interesting piece. Thank you.
I have to be honest I didn’t know this. I think what it needs to gather some momentum is for a few of the big US, European manufacturers to get on board with it. If not, too much time, effort and cash will be invested in the current method for them to back down. I appreciate the Asian market probably dwarfs the European/US market but European/ US markets are global whereas the Asian manufacturers tend to be heavily biased ‘in country’.
I believe it’s all about averages.
If the current method of EV power gets to a point that the average driver can get an average week of driving with 1-2 charge(s) then great.
What’s going to kill it, as is, in my view is:
1 The home charging situation. Who wants to get home in the driving rain and spend time hooking it up?
2 Also on home charge, there are millions of people who have to park on the road outside their houses/flats. There’s going to be extension leads everywhere.
3 I’m reading of different manufacturers/councils using different methods of charge connectors/payment methods. This is ridiculous. It HAS to be common surely?
One thing’s for sure, it’s certainly an interesting time.
Thanks again for posting Brydo. ??
? I will be remembered for nothing but had great fun doing it ?
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