Category: #electricvehicles

NIRA Dynamics and GPS Tuner collaborate to include road hazard warnings in EV routing software

Improving their offering of efficient electric vehicle journey, GPS Tuner Systems Kft. has become the first to integrate alert data from NIRA Dynamics in an EV routing application. This collaboration is set to redefine how EV drivers experience the road, offering not just directions but a deeper, more insightful understanding of road conditions. The integration was officially launched at the London EV Show.

The collaboration between NIRA Dynamics and GPS Tuner Systems brings a new dimension to EV navigation by incorporating real-time road perception data. This innovation allows drivers to safely navigate through diverse weather conditions and varying road quality, significantly enhancing both safety and efficiency. With the ability to receive timely warnings about slippery conditions and damaged surfaces, drivers can make informed decisions that prioritize safety and optimize travel routes.

“The integration of NIRA’s advanced road perception data into our navigation system represents a significant leap forward in how drivers interact with their environment”, said Gabor Tarnok, CEO of GPS Tuner. By harnessing real-time alerts, we can provide our users with not just directions but a comprehensive understanding of road conditions, making every journey safer and more efficient.

As the collaboration unfolds, the EV navigation app will continue to evolve, adapting to the full dataset from NIRA Dynamics. This evolution promises more accurate range calculations, enabling drivers to plan their journeys with greater confidence and peace of mind.

This is just the beginning of the journey. The partnership is poised to set new standards in EV navigation, making it an indispensable tool for drivers seeking safety and efficiency. Road conditions and weather has a significant impact on range calculations and GPS Tuner aims to deliver an application that lets drivers plan their trips without range anxiety.

Stay tuned for more updates on this great collaboration and its impact on the world of electric vehicles.

EQUIPMAKE EARNS ZEVRAS QUALITY ACCREDITATION FOR INDUSTRY-LEADING BUS AND COACH REPOWERING SOLUTIONS

Equipmake, the UK-based engineering specialist pioneering the development and production of electrification products across the automotive, aerospace, bus, coach, and off-highway industries, has been approved as a bus and coach repowering company under the Energy Saving Trust’s Zero Emission Vehicle Repower Accreditation Scheme (ZEVRAS) – offering the first repowering system to achieve the certification.

Raising the standards for converting ICE vehicles to electric, ZEVRAS’ objective is to support the transition to zero-emission buses and coaches in the UK. The scheme mandates higher requirements for multiple elements of the repowering process – including energy efficiency assessment, battery testing, and zero-emission heating.

With more than two decades’ expertise in the development of innovative, industry-leading, and end-to-end electric drivetrain offerings, Equipmake has established itself as the UK leader in repowering, thanks to its Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED) system – a cutting-edge battery-electric powertrain designed and developed from the ground-up to deliver clean, cost-effective urban mobility.

Completely scalable and modular, the certified and readily available ZED system can be applied to any bus or coach, from single to double decker. Featuring Equipmake’s in-house developed electric motor, inverter, and power electronics, combined with the latest in lithium-ion batteries, ZED’s advanced technology results in high efficiency.

Under the ZEVRAS scheme, companies offering repowering services are required to become accredited for inclusion on an approved register of repowering companies and systems – providing bus and coach operators with increased confidence in the quality of the systems they choose to implement.

Buses and coaches repowered by ZEVRAS-approved companies are eligible for the Department for Transport’s 22 pence-per-kilometre zero emission bus (ZEB) grant on bus routes in England, as well as the ability to enter clean air zones free of charge.  

Ian Foley, CEO, Equipmake, commented: “With Equipmake’s zero-emission drivetrain system at the forefront of bus and coach repowering in the UK, we are delighted it is the first repowering system to achieve ZEVRAS accreditation. The introduction of this new standard illustrates the important role that bus and coach repowering plays in the UK’s pursuit of its net zero targets, and we expect that it will instil operators with added confidence regarding the calibre of Equipmake’s bus and coach repowering system.” 

One of its most important features of Equipmake’s ZED is its patented ultra-efficient thermal management system, which maintains all three of the ZED’s key components – the battery pack, motor, and inverter – at an optimum operating temperature, maximising vehicle range.

Every configuration carried out by Equipmake, whether coachbuild or repower, is bespoke to each vehicle and its requirements, with service routes simulated to ensure the optimum battery level is selected, and that required mileage is achievable. Equipmake also provides cost effective aftercare, with a motor, battery pack and inverter refurbishment programme.

Based in Snetterton, Norfolk, Equipmake provides the complete electric vehicle solution, offering everything from motors to fully electrified platforms, supporting primarily the automotive, commercial vehicle, marine and aerospace sectors.

Edison launches a new e-Mobility app and platform with Landis+Gyr OCEAN EV Charging Software

Edison – a leading energy company, with over 140 years of history and records that make it the oldest operator in the sector in Europe – launches a new e-Mobility app and platform with Landis+Gyr OCEAN EV Charging Software, which provides access to more than 30,000 charging stations from Edison and other major operators in Italy.

Edison thus improves the user experience: drivers will be able to plan trips with charging points always at hand and will have an intuitive and functional app.

Edison aims to achieve an 8% market share in the supply of electricity used for recharging electric vehicles and to install over 100,000 charging points (cumulative), including innovative solutions such as smart charging and V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid).

“The collaboration with Landis+Gyr gives us the opportunity to rely on a competitive and specialized product, that will constantly evolve following the dynamic and developing market we’re operating in. We chose a product capable of managing e-Mobility activities and services dedicated to both residential and commercial or public customers”, says Davide Dotti, Business Innovation Director of Edison.

“By adopting a single software platform, we are able to offer different customer segments personalized experiences based on their needs, so as to constantly improve the use of e-Mobility services. With Landis+Gyr and our Italian partner we have built a very scalable and flexible architecture, that allows us to reduce the time-to-market of bids and initiatives and ensure high service levels. Also through these technology solutions, Edison affirms its commitment to transformation in the Energy Market according to our Sustainability and Strategic Plan” says Antonella Periti, Chief Information Officer of Edison

“We are proud to partner with Edison and support them in enhancing and expanding their EV charging services,” said Matevž Mencin, Senior Key Account Manager at Landis+Gyr EV Solutions. “Customer satisfaction and user experience are the main pillars of our business cooperations. With this in mind, we look forward to seeing Edison gain a better overview and control of their charging network through OCEAN, while their users enjoy a seamless interface.”

In e-Mobility, Edison operates through two companies: Edison Energia, which is active in the sale of electricity and gas to households and businesses and provides value-added services to the retail market, will offer the new app to end customers; Edison Next, besides accompanying companies and territories on their path to decarbonisation and ecological transition, will use the platform to manage charging infrastructures.

 

Car subscriptions could be the catalyst for greener mobility in Europe

Europe’s recent uptick in electric vehicle sales hasn’t been enough to reverse a year in decline. According to international car experts, car subscription models hold significant untapped potential that could advance Europe’s green mobility.

Electric vehicle sales in Europe increased in October with a total of 124,907 new EVs being registered, representing an uptick of around 2% compared to the same month the year before. However, the small gain isn’t enough to turn around this year’s negative trend, as year-to-date EV sales are still 5% lower than last year, according to figures from trade organization the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

David Bailey, professor of Business Economics at Birmingham Business School, says that car subscriptions could be key to advancing the uptake of electric cars in Europe.

– Car subscription models are a great way for consumers to ‘dip their toes’ into the EV market. Drivers are sometimes hesitant about adopting this new technology due to high upfront costs and fears about range and charging and uncertainty regarding resale value, says David Bailey, adding:

– A car subscription model allows consumers to see if EVs fit their lifestyles and whether they are cost-effective for them. Car subscriptions don’t tie people down for long periods, so they can enable consumers to try EVs while minimizing risk.

Car subscription service :Dribe, which is owned by Denmark’s largest automotive player, Semler Gruppen, offers a fully digital customer journey and open-ended subscription, giving subscribers full control and the flexibility to adapt their subscription and vehicle to match their dynamic needs at their convenience – be it an EV or a conventional solution, says CEO at :Dribe Jesper Hill-Kjærsgaard.

– When the customer has the flexibility to choose, we see a greater variety in the car models that are picked. When longer drives or infrastructural uncertainty occurs, we often see people switching back to conventional fossil-fuel cars. However, our experience is, that once becoming accustomed to the many joys of EVs, people tend to stay with the technology, says Jesper Hill-Kjærsgaard, adding:

 – In this context, offering a selection of up-to-date EVs and fossil-fuel cars under a subscription model is an advantage, allowing consumers to weigh the pros and cons of different options and choose between them.

Untapped potential

Peter Wells, professor of Business and Sustainability and director of the Center for Automotive Industry Research, argues that car subscription services can play a key role in optimizing resource consumption in the transportation sector.

– When consumers pick large cars to meet very rare needs, the green transition of the automotive industry is challenged. The effect is that vehicles become over-dimensioned, which requires an unnecessary amount of resources to produce and maintain. Car subscriptions hold untapped potential for advancing green mobility by instead allowing consumers to change cars as needed, meaning new cars don’t have to be oversized all-in-one solutions, says Peter Wells.

Despite the promise held by car subscriptions, Peter Wells points out that it will be a challenge to change the automotive industry’s inclination for sticking to tradition. Out of respect for established practices, :Dribe focuses on uniting traditional business models with digital opportunities that can ease the transition to future mobility solutions.

– At :Dribe, we believe that sustainable change begins with a deep understanding of the industry’s needs and requirements, which have been a focal point during the development of our concept and digital subscription platform. We leverage the extensive knowledge and experience that the Semler Group has cultivated over more than 100 years of strong traditions within the auto industry, says Jesper Hill-Kjærsgaard.

:Dribe is a digitally driven car subscription model for consumers and businesses, owned by Semler Group. Denmark-based :Dribe is internationalizing the company, offering a simpler, quicker and more flexible car access across the globe. Read more at www.dribe.io

Landis+Gyr and Believ Partner to Deliver Accessible EV Charging Infrastructure Across the UK

Landis+Gyr a global leader in integrated energy management solutions, and Believ, a leading UK-based electric vehicle (EV) charge point operator (CPO), have joined forces to deliver accessible EV charging solutions that support almost four million Blue Badge holders or disabled drivers who may find inaccessible charging bays a barrier to EV adoption.

At the heart of this partnership is a refined version of the INCH Duo AC charger, designed to meet PAS 1899—the UK’s standard for accessible EV charging – which provides guidelines on the physical environment, placement, information provision and design of charging infrastructure, with the goal to build confidence in the accessibility and inclusivity of EV infrastructure.

The updated model, designed for long dwell times and overnight charging, includes adjustments such as repositioned sockets to meet height guidelines, along with features like contactless payment for a hassle-free user experience.

Guy Bartlett, Believ CEO, says it is vital for CPOs to select the best manufacturing partners:

“By working with the most forward-thinking manufacturers we can ensure our product catalogue meets the highest possible standards, and that we continuously work towards more accessible solutions. It is also how we deliver bespoke end-to-end solutions, dependent on site needs.” 

Believ provides local authorities, business and landlords across the UK with a fully funded EV charge point solution that covers planning, installation, operation and ongoing maintenance. It installs different speeds of charge point, ensuring the right charge point is installed in the right location.

Mark Coley, Head of Market Development at Landis+Gyr, highlights the strategic importance of the partnership:

“Our collaboration with Believ underscores our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and supporting the UK’s transition to electric mobility. By integrating our advanced INCH Duo chargers into Believ’s commercial offering, we are making EV charging more accessible while expanding our footprint across the UK. Together, we are enabling a cleaner, greener, and more inclusive future.”

Guy Bartlett adds that the PAS certification provides important assurance to stakeholders that EV charging infrastructure has been designed with accessibility in mind: “Our commitment to delivering a reliable and inclusive public EV charging network is strengthened through this partnership. The integration of Landis+Gyr’s INCH Duo charging stations to our commercial offering supports our drive to make EV charging accessible to all.” 

This partnership builds on Landis+Gyr’s track record of delivering scalable, modular EV charging solutions. The INCH Duo is part of a growing portfolio designed to support the expansion of public charging networks, enabling operators to deploy infrastructure quickly and efficiently while maintaining high standards of usability.

What Fuels the Growing Popularity of Home EV Chargers in Ireland

Gone are the days when car owners would go to flashy showrooms just to see what electric vehicles are all about. The EV revolution is well underway, and many homes in Ireland already come equipped with home EV chargers. This shouldn’t come as a surprise as this new breed of “filling station” appears all set to disrupt the entire automotive industry.

Home EV chargers provide all the solutions EV owners have been looking for: convenience, cost savings, and control. The rise of this trend is fueled not only by practicality, but by a cultural shift that reflects the growing desire for self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Why Home Charging is Gaining Traction

Who actually likes going to the petrol station? The stink of fuel, wrestling with that clunky pump, and feeling the glare of the drivers queuing up behind you aren’t exactly the best part of anyone’s day. For those driving electric, that whole weekly petrol station dance is starting to fade out. Home charging gives you back those little moments that used to get sucked away by that boring chore. Imagine getting home after a crazy day, plugging in your car just like you would your phone, and you’re done.

Speaking of phones, remember back in the day when mobile phones first came out and you’d get those crazy phone bills all the time? Public charging can feel a bit like that—a constant hit to your wallet. Charging at home gives you the power to actually manage how much you’re spending on powering your car. Not only can you make the most of those cheaper electricity rates at off-peak times, but you can also keep an eye on how much you’re using with those fancy smart charging apps.

Government Initiatives and Support

The Irish government actually seems to be on board with making this whole thing easier! Take those folks at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), for example. They’re practically throwing money at you to get a charger installed at home. Their grant scheme can cover a huge chunk of the installation cost, so it’s a total no-brainer if you’re thinking about going electric. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, we get that this whole eco-friendly tech thing can be a bit pricey, so here’s a little something to help you out.”

The government’s also looking beyond our own driveways, with some pretty ambitious plans to get more electric cars on the road and build up a proper charging network. They’re putting money into public charging stations, pushing those smart charging technologies, and even looking at how to plug electric cars into the national grid.

Now, let’s get to those enticing extra perks: lower motor tax, cheaper tolls, and even getting to park in those fancy preferential spots. They’re really laying on the perks to get people to ditch their old diesel guzzlers and go electric. It’s a bit of a carrot-and-stick situation, maybe, but hey, who’s complaining when the carrots are this sweet?

Choosing the Right Home Charger

Picking a home EV charger can feel a bit like trying to choose a new phone. There are tons of options with all kinds of fancy features, different brands all trying to get your attention, and a whole load of tech specs that can make your head spin. Unlike your phone though, you’ll probably have this charger for quite a while, so it’s worth taking the time to figure out what you really need.

To start, let’s consider the difference between tethered and untethered chargers. As you might guess, a tethered charger has the cable permanently attached to the unit. It’s a bit like those old landline phones—always there when you need it, but not exactly designed for portability. Untethered chargers, however, offer greater flexibility. With a separate cable, you can use it with different vehicles without having a cable hanging from your wall when not in use.

Next up, we need to think about charging speed. Do you need a charger that can juice up your car in a flash, or are you okay with a slower, overnight charge? This really comes down to how you use your car, the size of your car’s battery, and how much patience you have. Just keep in mind that those super-fast chargers usually come with a heftier price tag.

Smart chargers should also be on your radar. These clever little gadgets can do all sorts of things, like making sure your car charges when electricity is cheapest, keeping things balanced so you don’t overload your home’s electricity, and even tracking how much energy you’re using. You can even get chargers than can also charge or kids electric ride on car. 

And unless you happen to be an electrician (and let’s face it, most of us aren’t!), you’ll need to get someone in who knows what they’re doing. They’ll take a look at your home’s electrical setup, figure out the best spot for your charger, and make sure everything’s installed properly and safely. You know, so you don’t have to worry about any unexpected fireworks displays.

One last thing: think about the future when you’re choosing your charger. You don’t want to get something that’s going to be outdated in a couple of years, right? So, ask yourself, will you be getting a car with a bigger battery down the line? Would you be interested in vehicle-to-grid, where your car can actually pump energy back into the grid? It’s worth thinking about these things now, so you don’t end up regretting your choice later.

 

ABLIC launches the S-19193 Series of automotive battery monitoring protection ICs

ABLIC (President: Seiji Tanaka, Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “ABLIC”), a group company of MinebeaMitsumi Inc., today launched the S-19193 Series of automotive 3 to 6-cell battery monitoring protection ICs.

BMS (Battery Management Systems) for EVs and e-Bikes, etc. require functional safety (*1) compliant with ISO26262 (*2), which is a standard for functional safety in road vehicles.

The acceptance criteria for functional safety are (1) fail-safe (the ability to return to a safe state in the event of a failure or malfunction), (2) fail-operational (the ability to continue operation even in the event of a failure or malfunction), and (3) fail-degraded (the ability to continue operation with decreased functionality). In the past, the conventional method of achieving (1) fail-safe functional safety was to use a microcontroller (MCU) together with a high performance IC called an “analog front-end” (AFE) to monitor automotive battery overcharge and over discharge conditions.

Under the conventional (1) fail-safe methodology, the safety of a driver is ensured by “returning to a safe state”, i.e. stopping the vehicle in the event of an actual failure or malfunction, and there was no requirement for continued monitoring of batteries after the vehicle had safely stopped.

However, with the evolution of automated driving technologies, it is expected that there will be an increase in the number of cases where the system, rather than the driver, handles any problems that occur, so the (2) fail-operational and (3) fail-degraded methodologies, which allow for continued operation even in the event of a failure or malfunction, are becoming increasingly important.

The S-19193 Series automotive 3 to 6 cell battery monitoring protection ICs launched today are products developed in ISO26262 compliant processes and are equipped with functions for monitoring automotive battery overcharge and overdischarge.

Utilizing the S-19193 Series makes it possible to continue battery monitoring as a secondary system even in the event the conventional monitoring system (primary) fails, and to achieve a safer BMS that is both (2) fail-operational and (3) fail-degraded compliant.

There are also examples with AFE and MCU internal monitoring functions configured as primary and secondary, but these are mainly for failure and fault detection through mutual monitoring and are insufficient for backup of functionality. In addition, internal redundancy also poses a risk of “joint failure”, where loss of functionality occurs simultaneous to the occurrence of a failure, however with the S-19193 Series, the secondary monitoring can be made completely independent from the primary monitoring to also mitigate the risk of joint failures occurring.

The S-19193 Series also makes it possible to configure a stand-alone operation secondary monitoring circuit which does not require MCU control, which can also contribute to a reduction in the number of design processes.

A Safety Manual is also available for download to support BMS functional safety design using the S-19193 Series. The product is also compliant with the PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) established by the U.S. Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), and is also planned to be made compliant with AEC(*)-Q100 Grade1 (*Automotive Electronics Council) quality standards for automotive IC.

Going forward, ABLIC will continue to strive to contribute to our customers’ success with high-quality products developed with the utmost consideration for safety and based on our many years of technological capability and knowhow.

(*1) Functional safety: The incorporation of functional innovations to maintain an acceptable level of safety
(Reference: https://www.ablic.com/en/semicon/products/automotive/asil/)

(*2) ISO26262:
An international standard for functional safety of automotive electronic control systems which was officially established in November 2011. It standardizes development processes aimed at achieving “functional safety” by calculating the risk of failure in automotive electronic control systems and devising measures to lower those risks and integrate those risk reduction measures into systems as functionality in advance. The standard covers the entire vehicle development life cycle from initial vehicle conceptualization to development, production, maintenance, and disposal of systems, ECU, embedded software, and devices.
ABLIC has received “ISO 26262” development process certification from a third-party certification organization in Germany.
(Reference: https://www.ablic.com/en/semicon/news/2024/01/10/iso26262/)

 

Major Features

1.Continued automotive battery monitoring functionality in the event of a failure when used as a secondary monitoring IC
The S-19193 Series is capable of maintaining continuous monitoring of battery overcharge and overdischarge through stand-alone operation which does not require microcontroller control. This makes it possible for battery monitoring to be maintained even in the event of a failure of the main monitoring system (primary), to achieve a fail-operational BMS.
In addition, the S-19193 Series is functional safety standard product developed in ISO26262 compliant processes which achieves ASIL-B(D) classification under expected use cases. This product enables to the achievement of safer BMS by configuring this IC as a secondary monitoring circuit while continuing to use existing circuits at the primary monitoring circuit.

2.Enable stand-alone monitoring and failure detection through self-testing with a simple structure
The product is equipped with a self-test function which makes it possible to detect internal IC failures by simply inputting an external start signal. This makes it possible to use the self-test function to allow the system to detect monitoring function failures even in the event monitoring functionality is lost due to overcharge or over discharge resulting from the random failures that can occur when ICs are used over long periods.

3.Cascade function makes it possible to configure simply monitoring circuits with a small number of components
The S-19193 Series is equipped with a cascade function. In addition to direction connection, the S-19193 Series also supports connection with adjacent S-19193 Series products through a photocoupler, making it possible to construct safe monitoring circuits even in high-voltage BMS with a large number of serially-connected batteries.

Major Specifications
•Overcharge detection voltage: 2.50V to 4.50V ±20mV
•Overdischarge detection voltage: 1.00V to 3.00V ±80mV
•Current consumption during operation: 20μ max.
•Max. rating: 28V
•Operating temperature: -40℃ to +125℃
•Package: HTSSOP-16
•Functional safety compliant (*3)
•AEC-Q100 compliant
•PPAP support available
(*3) Functional safety compliant： https://www.ablic.com/en/semicon/products/automotive/asil/fusa-compliance/?rf=asil

Application Examples
• Automotive devices
• Battery monitoring in EVs, HEVs, PHEVs, e-Bikes, etc.
• Industrial equipment
• Battery monitoring in capacitors, electric forklifts, etc.

Drivers of electric vehicles more likely to be at fault in road traffic crashes than drivers of petrol and diesel cars

Drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) are more likely to be involved in at-fault road traffic accidents than drivers of petrol and diesel cars, a study by researchers at Lero, the Research Ireland Centre for Software, and University of Limerick reveals.

In a paper to be published in November in the journal Accident Analysis & Prevention, the Lero researchers analysed insurance claims and data from onboard sensors and revealed a number of key findings:

  • Electric and hybrid drivers exhibit different behaviours than drivers of traditional vehicles.
  • Electric vehicles record more at-fault claims than traditional vehicles.
  • Electric vehicles are 6.7% more expensive to repair than traditional vehicles.

Lero researcher and co-director of the Centre of Emerging Risk Studies the Kemmy Business School, Dr Barry Sheehan, said EV drivers have a higher chance of experiencing an at-fault claim than drivers of cars with internal combustion engines (ICE).

“Our research finds that despite their lower average mileage than internal combustion engines, lower road exposure for EV drivers does not reduce their risk of experiencing an at-fault insurance claim. When analysing at-fault claims, we find a 4 % increase in crashes from EVs and a 6 % increase for hybrids (HYBs) compared to internal combustion engines.

“However, when tested with statistical models, hybrids do not display any further concerns of increased at-fault claim risk. These results indicate that EVs have a higher risk profile than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

“Our research shows drivers’ driving behaviour changes significantly when switching to hybrids or EVs. These results mean EVs are more likely to experience an at-fault claim than internal combustion engines,” added Dr Sheehan, Associate Professor in Risk and Finance at UL.

Lero researcher and lead author Kevin McDonnell said their analysis of each fuel type shows that EVs and hybrids have lower average mileages than internal combustion engines.

“This suggests that internal combustion engines should have a higher probability of incurring an at-fault claim than alternate energy fuel-type vehicles. However, the claims data contradicts this assumption by providing evidence of increased at-fault claim occurrences in EVs through predictive modelling and risk analysis,” he added.

Lero’s Professor Finbarr Murphy, Executive Dean of the Kemmy Business School at UL and co-author said that, given the increased likelihood of incurring an at-fault insurance claim with less mileage, significant first-party damages, and battery costs, alternative energy vehicles are riskier and have a higher financial burden than petrol and diesel cars.

The study used telematic data from 125 million commercial fleet vehicle trips involving 14,642 vehicles recorded from January 2022 to October 2022 in the Netherlands. It also used an insurance claims dataset during the same period.

Lero, the Research Ireland Centre for Software, is based at University of Limerick and funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, formerly Science Foundation Ireland. 

The paper is co-authored by Lero and UL’s Kevin McDonnell, Dr Barry Sheehan and Professor Finbarr Murphy as well as Professor Montserrat Guillen of Universitat de Barcelona and is available to read in full at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457524003063?via%3Dihub

Meet the AirB&B of EV charging – Plugable lets people rent out their EV chargers in Manchester and Liverpool

Plugable, the community-driven technology platform that unlocks access to the UK’s vast network of private EV chargers, is launching its EV charger sharing pilot in Northwest UK. The pilot, starting in June, follows a successful launch in Ireland and aims to make EV charging more reliable and affordable for EV drivers without private home chargers.

Plugable allows EV drivers to book affordable and reliable charging slots at local hosts’ homes, or destination chargers at private business, offering a reliable and convenient alternative to complement public charging infrastructure. Despite a 30% increase in public EV charging stations in the UK, the majority of the 60,000 public charge points are concentrated in Southeast England, creating regional disparities. In contrast, an estimated 700,000 private charge points across the country remain largely untapped. Plugable is making this extensive network more accessible, helping more people during the switch to electric vehicles.

Maebh Reynolds, Founder and CEO of Plugable, said “Plugable is on a mission to provide access to the UK’s largest EV charging network by 2025, making charging accessible for everyone, everywhere. Our peer-to-peer network is coming to the UK to allow hosts to maximise the utilisation of their home chargers, earning passive income and supporting the wider EV community. By democratising access to EV charging, we aim to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.”

Through the Plugable app, users can find nearby EV chargers, book a convenient time slot, and enjoy lower rates compared to public chargers. Hosts set their own prices and availability, enabling them to earn passive income from their home charger when it’s not in use whilst supporting the EV community. Chargers and hosts signing up to the trial will receive a £25 bonus credit.

To participate in the trial, users in Manchester, Liverpool,Warrington, Wigan and Bolton are invited to download the free Plugable app and follow the instructions to take part. Pilot participants will then be asked to provide feedback via a survey to influence future improvements for the Plugable community.

Founded by Maebh Reynolds, Plugable was inspired by the experience of switching to an EV and facing charging challenges due to living in an apartment building. Harnessing her expertise in engineering and sustainability, Plugable was established to leverage idle home chargers, which are unused 80% of the time, to support the EV community during the net-zero transition.

As Plugable grows, it is set to expand its charging marketplace nationwide, including onboarding businesses, such as gyms and hotels, to join the platform and offer their destination EV chargers to the community. This expansion aims to further democratise access to EV charging.

For more information and to join the Plugable community, visit Plugable’s website or download the Plugable app.

www.goplugable.com

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