A group of Europe’s leading smart EV charging providers; Allego, EVBox, NewMotion, Charge4Europe, Chargemap and ChargePoint, signed a letter of intent on 1 October pledging to open up their networks in the Nordic countries and the UK by the end of 2019.

When implemented, the roaming agreement will mean EV drivers in the region will 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 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.

Important step forward for EV charging

This letter of intent represents a significant step forward for public charging infrastructure in the Nordic countries and the UK, which currently trails behind other European markets in terms of interoperability agreements. Currently, EV drivers need memberships to multiple 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. Interoperability agreements in markets such as The Netherlands, France and Germany have been credited with fuelling the switch over to EVs.

Creating a more 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.

Better user experience through roaming

When charging infrastructure becomes more accessible, drivers will be able to choose which mobility service provider (MSP) company they want to use and be able to pay for their charging session with one single subscription via an app or token. This will be particularly useful for business drivers, who will no longer need to 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.

Christopher Schäckermann, Managing Director of Charge4Europe said, ”General access to charge points across Europe that are independent of the operators are the key factor to the success of European e-Mobility. That is why we are pleased to be part of this initiative.”

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.

Photo: Roaming agreement could make EVs more desireable