Greenlots, ChargePoint, EV Connect & FLO Expand EV Charging Through Roaming

July 26, 2021 by admin 33 Comments

More chargers will be easier to find and access, with almost no action required by the driver or site host.

Greenlots, a member of the Shell Group, today announced a significant roaming expansion across the major electric vehicle (EV) charging network partners, including ChargePoint, EV Connect and FLO. Greater charging network interoperability now enables EV drivers to locate, access and pay at more than 54,000 public charging points across the U.S. and Canada. EV drivers can continue to use any of the networks’ proprietary mobile apps, based on individual preference without additional sign-ups, fees or markups.

“This is a great example of collaboration across EV charging networks, and their experts coming together to give consumers and businesses the access they need to continue the transition to EVs with confidence,” said Greenlots Chief Product and Technology Officer, Kuan Archer. “Roaming, in addition to more EV charger installations, plays a key role in driving greater EV adoption through better charging experiences and higher trust in the reliability of today’s infrastructure.”

EV charging accessibility is expected to continue expanding, as new networks develop, installations increase and bilateral roaming partnerships are formed. Overall, increased accessibility supports:

More opportunities for EV drivers to charge on-the-go
More seamless, easier and overall better charging experiences at the plug for EV drivers
Higher reliability for commercial EV fleets and increased efficiency for fleet operators
Increased utilization of public EV charging stations under roaming agreements
Automaker and Federal Government ambitions to reach EV development targets

Greenlots worked with a diverse set of industry peers, partners and policy makers over the past few years to achieve network interoperability – each bringing their own expertise and perspectives to help bring roaming to more EV drivers:

In 2020, Greenlots supported the launch of the FordPass charging network, the largest integrated charging network of any automotive manufacturer in North America. The EV charging solutions provider is working to further expand roaming through future partnerships with other EV charging network providers– while continuing to grow and optimize EV charging infrastructure.

“The successful growth of the EV industry depends on major service providers moving towards interoperability, just as banks and cellular networks once did to ensure healthy and long-term growth for the industry,” said Patrick Macdonald-King, Chief Operating Officer of EV Connect. “This agreement with Greenlots furthers our mission to deliver a dependable and seamless driver experience. By leveraging today’s existing EV infrastructure, our respective users will benefit from the convenience of more charging opportunities regardless of the mobile app, vehicle, or credential used, and that is a win for the entire industry.”

“ChargePoint’s mission is to make it easy for all people and goods to move on electric power and industry collaboration through roaming partnerships are pivotal to making the transition to electric seamless,” said Bill Loewenthal, Senior Vice President, Product at ChargePoint. “Software is the key component that makes roaming across EV charging networks a reality, and the agreement between ChargePoint and Greenlots ensures the best possible experience for drivers to find, use and pay for charging, all without the need for multiple charging network accounts.”

Image provided by ChargePoint. Credit: Maria Hedrick

“We are excited about this new roaming expansion and are looking forward to welcoming Greenlots’ users to FLO stations,” says Nathan Yang, FLO’s Chief Product Officer. “We strongly believe in the importance of open networks and platforms. Roaming agreements are a tangible way to improve EV drivers’ experience and break down barriers to widespread adoption, which ultimately encourages more people to switch to electric vehicles.”