Some of Europe’s leading EV charging providers have penned a letter of intent, pledging to open their respective networks up to roaming agreements by the end of this year.
Allego, EVBox and NewMotion have agreed to open up their charging infrastructure, and will collaborate with other providers including Chargemap, ChargePoint, Charge4Europe, Engenie, Franklin Energy and Travelcard on the new initiative.
The agreement will mean that drivers of electric vehicles in the UK need only a single subscription to one of the aforementioned charging network operators to access the combined network, removing barriers to access and making it easier for consumers to charge their vehicles.
Charging station data will also be shared amongst the signatories, with the intent to use that data to improve charging experiences for consumers.
In the letter of intent, the signatories stressed that establishing a “more joined-up and coherent public charging network” is especially critical for the UK given its stated intent of prohibiting the sale of new conventional vehicles by 2040, a date which could yet be brought forward.
The agreement was strongly welcomed by Labour MP Matt Western, who also serves as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on electric vehicles, who described the notion of further collaboration between EV charging providers as a positive step.
“I have long believed that the country needs a National Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy to deal with issues around accessibility. This announcement from the collaborating parties in e-mobility is absolutely a step in the right direction,” he said.
NewMotion CEO Sytse Zuidema said the partnership was a “landmark moment” for the UK’s public charging infrastructure.
“NewMotion’s wider experience in Europe, where we have a public network of over 118,000 charge points, has shown that making charging more accessible and easy helps encourage EV adoption. As such, we’re excited to be part of a partnership that will no doubt help drive EV adoption across the country,” he said.
NewMotion in particular has been racking up roaming agreements with fellow EV charging providers, including the likes of ChargePoint and Vattenfall, as it bids to cement its place in the UK’s burgeoning EV charging market.
The future of the UK’s EV charging sector will the subject of much discussion at Everything EV Live London, taking place in November. Further details on the event and how to attend can be found below.
