Smart-home charging app ev.energy is expanding into public charging through a new partnership with Allstar Business Solutions.
From summer 2022, ev.energy customers will be able to use Allstar’s network of 5,700 public charging stations across the UK, from providers including Alfa Power, Allego, ESB Energy, Hubsta, LiFe, GeniePoint, Mer, Osprey, Plug-N-Go and Source London.
By partnering with Allstar, ev.energy hopes to help tackle the pain point of public charging requiring a myriad of cards, it said, with a recent survey finding that over half of electric vehicle (EV) drivers now carry four or more cards to access public charging infrastructure.
Ev.energy customers will now be able to use public charge points with a combination of RFID card and/or the app, depending on the network technology.
Additionally, drivers will be able to earn free public charges by participating in smart charging, whereby ev.energy will manage their home charging to support the grid during times it is constrained. The charging company will then provide customers with reward points, which can then be exchanged for free charges on the public network.
“Our drivers tell us that public charging is fiendishly complex, and not integrated with home charging,” said Nick Woolley, CEO and co-founder of ev.energy.
“We wanted to help them, and saw an opportunity to bring together and simplify home and public charging. We’re delighted to be extending ev.energy outside the home, helping drivers simplify and save on their charging, wherever and whenever they charge.”
Current± recently caught up with Woolley to discuss the role of EVs and smart charging in virtual power plants. Ev.energy’s partnership with Allstar follows it joining forces with Hubject in March to create the “most comprehensive” EV charging dataset in the world, according to the companies.
Allstar Business Solutions has also been expanding its offering recently, signing a partnership with Zap-Map in 2021 to offer a payment solution for fleets.
Laura Lancaster, VP EV sales and partnerships at Allstar Business Solutions said the company was delighted to support ev.energy as it “strives to improve EV charging solutions for the public”.
“We share the same ultimate goal in trying to make charging as convenient as possible, and by joining forces in this way, customers can benefit from more than 5,700 chargers across over 2,000 locations around the UK.”
Trials of the partnership have been run through April and May, and there is now a waiting list for a place via ev.energy’s website.
