Charging of electrified vehicles in the UK should be easier now a group of European smart charging providers have signed a letter of intent pledging to open their networks in the UK through a roaming agreement set to be in place by the end of 2019.
The companies are Allego, EVBox and NewMotion which will join Chargemap, ChargePoint, Charge4Europe, Engenie, Franklin Energy, and Travelcard "to make a statement on how easy access to charging infrastructure will help improve the switch to e-mobility for drivers in this region", they said in a joint announcement.
Go deeper with GlobalData
When implemented, the agreement will mean UK EV drivers require only 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 will 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," a statement said.
The signatories added: "This letter of intent represents a significant step forward for public charging infrastructure in the UK, which currently trails behind other European markets in terms of interoperability agreements.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData"Currently, EV drivers need memberships to multiple different operators to be able to fully access every available public charge point.
"This 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.
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, the companies said.
It is expected that by 2025 there will need to be at least 1.2m public charging stations across Europe to meet the growing need for EV charging.
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 is seen as an advantage for all, especially for business drivers, who no longer need to manually ask for reimbursement for multiple accounts from their employer. Companies will be able to manage all their billing, settlement and reimbursement automatically with one organisation.
Said Sytse Zuidema, CEO of NewMotion: "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."
Better roaming access to charging infrastructure will also lead to more competition and product innovation, the companies claim, ultimately creating a better user experience for drivers with improved applications. This will fuel the uptake of EVs as drivers will have access to apps that will show where more charge points are situated and which are available for charging in real time, while simplified administrative systems for billing, settlement and reimbursement "will bring ease of charging further in line with expectations set out by a century of internal combustion engine fuelling".
The agreements between charge point operators are based on the Open Charge Point Interface, a standardized 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 their plans.
