Technology enables seamless plug and pay for EVs.
This will dramatically enhance the EV user experience.
There will be no need to sign up to a charging network.
Whenever we get an EV to test drive and review, we admit that although we’re signed up to a specific charging network, we complete most of our charging at home. One of the main reasons for this is the need to adhere to a given network and seek it out when traveling. Plug and charge technology already exists but Tritium’s technology is next generation.
Plugging in an EV is far from inconvenient. For most, it’s the hassle of pulling out a network membership card, or RFID tag, in order to begin the charging process. There are services that enable a seamless charging experience where, through an app such as Fastned’s Autocharge, you can sign up to enable automatic charging for your CSS-connector enabled EV. The app allows you to activate or deactivate the feature with a few swipes on your phone.
Tritium’s Plug And Charge technology goes one step further where the car becomes the app, or the smartphone. Many current and nearly all new electric vehicles will have the necessary storage and NFC (Near Field Communications) technologies built-in, much like our smartphones. Once the car’s loaded up with the necessary information, once plugged, it will sort out who gets paid and so on. Tritium’s technology is based on its PK350kW DC high power chargers currently at work around the globe.
Without a doubt, the greatest takeaway from these technologies is that EVs are quickly becoming more convenient to run than our beloved internal combustion engine cars and SUVs.
James Kennedy, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder, Tritium, said: “Right now, EV drivers approaching an EV charger will likely have to sign up for that network’s system to access it and pay for the charging session, adding unnecessary time to the experience and siloing charger networks; even accounting for the ability to pay by credit card at some chargers this is wildly inconvenient. With Plug and Charge, you’ll be able to plug the charger into the vehicle and it just charges, from your battery to your account.”