Smartphones are part of modern life. With them, so are emojis. And Electrify America wants to promote electric vehicles and the electric car culture with a symbol of their popularity: an EV charger emoji. And there is even a petition to get there.
The idea came to life on July 15, two days before the World Emoji Day, celebrated on July 17. And it intends to propose the creation of such an emoji to the Unicode Consortium.
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This is the entity responsible for all computer characters, whether emojis, letters, symbols and so forth. It gives each of them a number that allows you to insert them in any computer system.
Electrify America has created an online petition at Change.org asking for the EV charger emoji. Not only that: it also has also created a drawing of what this new emoji could look like.
By the time of publication of this article, the petition was still fighting to reach 200 supporters. It will need way more than that to prove worthy of the work to create it. And that there will be people using it when and if it really goes out.
If you are more into writing messages or even calling than into using emojis, this probably will not matter to you at all. But it is worthy to note that there are many car-related emojis. There is even one of a gas pump, so it makes sense to have one of an EV charger. Especially with the increasing adoption of EVs all over the world.
“We hope an emoji, a symbol used in everyday digital communication, will help more people get used to the idea of driving an EV and become excited about the possibility of owning one someday,” said Rich Steinberg, director marketing, communications, and Green City initiatives at Electrify America.
Would an emoji help increase awareness and even promote EVs? Or would it be just another of those emojis no one ever chooses? Feel free to answer. And also to sign the petition, if you like the idea.
Electrify America Petitions for First-Ever Emoji in Support of Electric Vehicles
Ahead of World Emoji Day, electric vehicle charging company submits formal proposal to the Unicode Consortium to introduce an emoji representing the future of transportation
Reston, VA (July 15, 2019) – As modern-day communication evolves, emojis continue to grow in popularity, with 230 new characters being added to major platforms in 2019[1]. As such, it’s important that they be representative of today’s world, which increasingly includes electric vehicles (EVs) and the stations that charge them.
That’s why Electrify America – with its network of ultra-fast chargers for electric vehicles – has submitted a formal proposal to the Unicode Consortium, the governing body for emoji creation, to introduce the first-ever “Electric Vehicle With Charger” emoji for smartphone keyboards. The submission announcement, and a corresponding petition on Change.org, comes just two days ahead of World Emoji Day on July 17.
The case for an EV with charger emoji
An increasing number of consumers are purchasing EVs across North America and around the world. In the U.S., plug-in electric car sales rose more than 8 percent since April 2018[2]. With global annual EV sales predicted to rise to 10 million in 2025[3], electric vehicle ownership is destined to become the norm in the coming years. Furthermore, consumer consideration for EVs is growing – a recent AAA report found more than 40 million Americans said they would consider an EV for their next car[4]
Despite this, there is still a lack of awareness among drivers around how EVs operate and their benefits, including:
- Federal and state governments offer tax incentives to adopt zero-emission electric vehicles (U.S. federal credit is currently up to $1,875 for Tesla models and as much as $7,500 for other vehicle models).
- Many new EVs today can drive well over 200 miles on a single charge while some Tesla models deliver over 300 miles[5] of range, and more charging stations are being built to support the growing number of EVs coming to market.
- With responsive torque from standstill, EVs accelerate quickly, offering a fun, quiet and comfortable ride.
“As EVs become more popular and charging station networks continue to expand, we felt it was time for an emoji that reflects the changing industry and future of transportation,” said Rich Steinberg, director marketing, communications and Green City initiatives at Electrify America. “We hope an emoji, a symbol used in everyday digital communication, will help more people get used to the idea of driving an EV and become excited about the possibility of owning one someday.”
How to get involved:
To support the creation of the “Electric Vehicle With Charger” emoji, consumers can express their excitement on social media using #EVmoji. To sign the petition, please visit Change.org.
For more information on Electrify America, visit electrifyamerica.com.
ABOUT ELECTRIFY AMERICA
Electrify America LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America headquartered in Reston, VA and with an office in Pasadena, CA, is investing $2 billion over 10 years in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, education and access. The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the buildout of a nationwide network of workplace, community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable. For more information, visit www.electrifyamerica.com.