EV Charging Networks Are Starting To Offer 'Roaming' Services

Charging networks hope to make the situation more convenient for EV owners.

By: EVANNEX

Jul 25, 2021 at 12:51pm ET

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Posted on EVANNEX on July 25, 2021 by Charles Morris

One of several small inconveniences that non-Tesla EV drivers have to deal with: numerous, overlapping charging networks. For drivers who use public charging often, this can mean a pocketful of RFID cards and a clutter of smartphone apps and passwords. Charging providers have heard the complaints, and have been working to establish an inclusive roaming system analogous to those used by banks, credit card issuers and mobile phone companies.

Above: Tesla Model 3 and a number of other electric cars charging on the street (Flickr: mariodo59)

Now Greenlots, a member of the Shell Group, has announced a significant expansion of roaming among some of North America’s largest charging networks, including ChargePoint, EV Connect and FLO. The improved network interoperability now enables EV drivers to use more than 54,000 public charging points across the US and Canada, using any of the networks’ proprietary mobile apps.

“EV charging networks [are] coming together to give consumers and businesses the access they need to continue the transition to EVs with confidence,” said Greenlots Chief Product and Technology Officer Kuan Archer. “Roaming plays a key role in driving greater EV adoption through better charging experiences and higher trust in the reliability of today’s infrastructure.”

“The successful growth of the EV industry depends on major service providers moving towards interoperability, just as banks and cellular networks once did,” said Patrick Macdonald-King, COO of EV Connect. “Our respective users will benefit from the convenience of more charging opportunities regardless of the mobile app, vehicle or credential used, and that is a win for the entire industry.”

“Software is the key component that makes roaming across EV charging networks a reality, and the agreement ensures the best possible experience for drivers to find, use and pay for charging, all without the need for multiple charging network accounts,” said Bill Loewenthal, Senior VP, Product at ChargePoint.