As part of the continuing ‘electrification’ of the UK’s roads, leading electric vehicle (EV) charging platform and website Zap-Map has announced the launch of new live dynamic network data from the country’s leading provider of EV charging infrastructure.
In a phased roll-out, Zap-Map is launching dynamic data first across Chargemaster’s POLAR network (above), with more networks to follow in early 2017. The inclusion of dynamic network data will benefit Zap-Map users who will, for the first time, be able to access real-time information for charge points across multiple UK networks within one desktop application and mobile app. Dynamic POLAR data is provided to Zap-Map through a data partnership with Chargemaster, which sees the exchange of dynamic network data for Zap-Chat update information combined with marketing on the Zap-Map platform. Both parties benefit from this data exchange as do their respective user-bases; Zap-Map users get to access live network availability and pricing information; and Chargemaster gets live on-the-ground feedback and increased brand exposure to the Zap-Map user base.
With the successful launch of POLAR dynamic data achieved, Zap-Map is now finalizing agreements with other UK networks, and will be launching other dynamic data feeds in early 2017, with data provided in similar data partnerships. The addition of dynamic network information maintains Zap-Map’s position as the UK’s leading EV charging platform, covering all charging networks and providing EV drivers with key charge point information in a single portal. The portal attracts over 40,000 users per month from an EV fleet of around 90,000 vehicles and rising rapidly.
The POLAR network, run by Chargemaster, is the largest EV charging network in the UK and now gives its members access to over 5,000 chargepoints. Chargemaster is the largest UK supplier of public, workplace and home charging units and has supplied over 50,000 charging points across Europe. The company operates its own manufacturing facility at Luton Airport, which is currently producing over 2,000 charging units a month and operates to ISO9001 quality standards.
Launching the dynamic network data, Dr Ben Lane, director of Zap-Map, said, “Achieving this level of data integration has required the close co-operation of network operators, and we are delighted to be rolling-out dynamic data for the key UK networks, with POLAR being the first. The live network data complements Zap-Chat, our peer-to-peer comms channel which allows users to provide status updates and last-mile information. Taken together, the network and Zap-Chat updates give the best possible information to EV users on the move about charging point availability.”
Commenting on the launch David Martell, founder and chief executive of Chargemaster, added, “We are pleased to work with Zap-Map to make it easier to use the POLAR network. We are committed to make EV charging simple and highly reliable right across the country, and we see the provision of the highest quality data to users as a fundamental part of this.”
