EV Charging Just Got Easier On One Of The Fastest-Growing Networks In The U.S.

After a quick initial setup, Red E Charge customers can ditch the smartphone app and leave the credit card at home.

Photo by: Red E Charge

By: Iulian Dnistran

Sep 18, at 4:04am ET

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Red E Charge is adding a nice convenience feature at its EV chargers across the United States.
After an initial account setup, drivers will no longer need a physical credit card or the company’s smartphone app to charge.
Red E Charge was one of the fastest-growing DC fast charging networks in the second quarter, ahead of Electrify America, EVgo, and Ionna.

It just got a little easier to top up your EV’s battery at Red E Charge stations across the United States. The Detroit-based company, which was one of the fastest-growing DC charging networks in the country in the second quarter, has enabled Plug & Charge functionality at many of its dispensers.

With Plug & Charge, EV drivers need to complete a one-time setup in the charging network’s smartphone app, adding details about their vehicle and a payment method. After the setup is complete, they can simply plug in and charge at compatible stations, with the payment being handled automatically. No more scanning QR codes, opening an app, or getting out a credit card.

The operator has dubbed this service Red E Go, saying that the feature is available at certain stations. Currently, the network has over 1,000 locations and roughly 4,600 charging ports across 46 American states, according to the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. Out of the total, 2,159 ports offer fast charging at 579 stations, with 600 of the locations also offering almost 2,500 Level 2 charging ports.

On the DC charging side, Red E was the fourth fastest-growing network in the country in the second quarter of this year, according to a Paren report. With 315 new ports, Red E ranked below Tesla, Walmart, and ChargePoint, but overtook Electrify America, EVgo, and Ionna.

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What’s more, Red E’s customers are quite happy with the charging experience. The network ranked fifth in terms of overall satisfaction in JD Power’s latest Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study, after Ionna, the Mercedes-Benz Charging Network, the Rivian Adventure Network, and Tesla’s Supercharger network. With 628 points on a 1,000-point scale, Red E was just below the 666-point segment average, but higher than Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint.

The power output of Red E’s stalls ranges from just 10 kilowatts to a rather impressive 640 kilowatts, depending on the location and plug type. The network offers J1772, CCS1, NACS, and CHAdeMO plugs, with prices ranging from $0.40/kilowatt-hour to $1.15/kWh, according to DCFC Tracker.