Charging electric vehicles gets easier - EnBW and Hubject make it possible to use charging stations spontaneously

11/01/2016 | Print view

Thanks to direct payment solution intercharge direct, using EnBW`s more than 700 charging points has become even more easy - © EnBW / Alexander Sell — © EnBW / Alexander Sell

Thanks to direct payment solution intercharge direct, using EnBW`s more than 700 charging points has become even more easy

With intercharge direct, the energy supplier EnBW offers electric vehicle drivers the first cross-company direct payment solution. In doing so EnBW gives drivers the opportunity to spontaneously charge their electric vehicle without signing a contract.

Over the last few weeks EnBW has fitted more than 700 charging points in Germany with intercharge direct, the direct payment system for charging electric vehicles spontaneously. This gives electric vehicle drivers who don’t have a long-term contract or prepaid charging card easy access to the energy supplier’s charging stations.

First cross-company direct payment solution

Thanks to the digital networking of charging stations through the Hubject system, all EnBW charge points can also be found in other providers’ navigation systems and apps and can be used both spontaneously or with a contract. With intercharge direct, the energy provider is fitting its charging stations with the first cross-company direct payment solution, which makes the ad hoc charging of electric vehicles possible.

Digital mobile activation

The charging process can be digitally activated and paid for easily and securely on a mobile website using a smartphone. “Together with EnBW, we want to make using charging stations an intuitive and up-to-date process for the drivers of electric vehicles. With intercharge direct, charging in public spaces is also attractive for “passing customers” and people who just need a top-up, says Thomas Daiber, CEO of Hubject GmbH. Lars Walch, Head of Electromobility at EnBW, explains the idea behind the new scheme: ”We want people with electric cars to be able to set off without having to worry about range or where they are going to charge up. The new direct payment solution on the mobile website makes it easier to use our charging points and gives the customer maximum independence. This flexibility also convinces drivers needing to charge spontaneously at EnBW stations and offers every EV driver access to our charge points.“

Ready for the German Charging Station Act

The Federal Government’s planned amendment of the German Charging Station Act, which is projected for the end of the year, stipulates that drivers of electric vehicles be able to use any publicly accessible charging station, even without entering into a long-term contract with a provider. Hubject’s solution enables charge point operators to offer contract-based charging for customers with a contract, as well as the option to charge spontaneously.

200 European partners

Hubject GmbH was founded in 2012 by leading companies from the energy, technology and automotive industries. Hubject GmbH’s eRoaming platform allows B2B partners intercarrier charging of electric vehicles across all of Europe. Thus, the joint venture contributes to the networking of charging infrastructure, service providers and mobility providers. The intercharge compatibility symbol forms the framework for customer-friendly charging and payment processes. 200 European partners, among which companies from Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria and the Benelux countries are already part of the intercharge network. This makes Hubject the leading eRoaming provider in Europe. (HCN)