EV Roaming: Why It’s Becoming a Growing Need

numocity
December 2, 2024

Imagine you’re embarking on a long-awaited road trip in your sleek electric vehicle. The car is fully charged, and the route is planned. But as you hit the highway, something unsettling looms in the back of your mind: range anxiety. The thought of running out of charge without a compatible public EV charging station in sight turns excitement into apprehension. You finally spot a charging station. Relief washes over you—until you realize it doesn’t support your EV’s payment system. Frustration sets in as you scramble to download an unfamiliar app, set up an account, and hope the charger works. This scenario is all too common for EV drivers today, highlighting a glaring problem: the EV roaming market isn’t living up to its promise. While the EV ecosystem continues to evolve with cutting-edge EV charging software and growing infrastructure, the fragmented landscape of charging networks demands a rethink—and fast.

The Journey of EV Roaming

Let’s step back and understand EV roaming. Picture it as the “global SIM card” of charging networks. It enables EV drivers to access public EV charging stations across different networks without juggling between multiple apps or accounts. With EV roaming, the vision is simple: you charge your car anywhere, anytime, just like you can use your mobile phone internationally without swapping SIMs.

This seamless experience is powered by OCPI (Open Charge Point Interface), which allows different CPO software platforms to communicate and collaborate.

But in reality, the experience often falls short, leaving drivers, Charge Point Operators (CPOs), and Auto OEMs yearning for a better solution.

Why EV Roaming is Crucial for the Future

The electrification of transport is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s here, and it’s growing fast. Governments are pushing for EV adoption, automakers are launching new models, and public EV charging stations are sprouting up across cities. Yet, the lack of interoperability between networks remains a stumbling block.

Drivers face range anxiety because they don’t know where or how they’ll charge next.
CPOs struggle to maximize the potential of their infrastructure due to isolated networks.
Auto OEMs find it challenging to provide a seamless charging experience, which affects brand loyalty.

EV roaming, if implemented effectively, could be the linchpin that connects these fragmented pieces.

The Ripple Effects of EV Roaming for Stakeholders

Now imagine a world where this works flawlessly.

For CPOs : CPOs thrive on station utilization. By enabling roaming, they can welcome EV drivers from any network, boosting the use of their public EV charging stations and improving their ROI. Integrated CPO software can also provide insights into user behavior, allowing operators to optimize tariffs and improve service offerings.

For EV Users : For drivers, convenience reigns supreme. With roaming, a powered mobile App can become their universal key to charge anywhere. No more hunting for the best EV charging stations or worrying about the cost of charging electric cars—everything is transparent, consistent, and simple.

For Auto OEMs : Auto manufacturers aim to deliver exceptional ownership experiences. With roaming partnerships, they can promise a hassle-free journey for their customers, reducing range anxiety and building trust in EV technology.

Challenges Holding Back EV Roaming

While the vision sounds idyllic, significant hurdles remain:

Fragmented Infrastructure: Each charging network has its own proprietary CPO software, creating a maze of incompatible systems. Standards like OCPI must be universally adopted to streamline operations.
Data Security Concerns: As data flows between networks, safeguarding user information is critical. Robust cybersecurity protocols are essential for trust and compliance.
Infrastructure Gaps: Urban areas might be dotted with chargers, but rural regions often lack sufficient coverage. Expanding infrastructure, including electric car home charging stations, is crucial to bridging this gap.
High Costs: Maintaining an interoperable system isn’t cheap. Shared investment models between stakeholders could alleviate financial pressure and accelerate adoption.

A Vision for the Future

It’s time to rethink the EV roaming market—not as a luxury but as a necessity. Here’s how we can make it happen:

Embrace Standards: Protocols like OCPI should be universally adopted to ensure smooth integration of charging networks.
Leverage Tech: Advanced EV charging software can handle high volumes, provide actionable insights to optimize station utilization and effective network expansion.
Invest in Super Apps: A single platform for discovering, paying, and using chargers—from public networks to electric car home charging stations—is essential (usually CPOs & Auto OEM’s app).
Collaborate: Partnerships among CPOs, OEMs, and governments can drive the expansion of public EV charging stations and incentivize roaming-enabled networks.
Enhance Accessibility: Focus on underserved areas to ensure no driver feels stranded, regardless of their route.

The Road Ahead: A Unified Roaming Experience

Imagine our road trip again, but this time, you have a single app that shows all the nearby chargers, compatible with your EV, calculates the cost of charging your electric car, and processes payments instantly, no matter the operator. You plug in, charge, and continue your journey without a hitch.

This is the future EV roaming promises—a seamless, connected charging ecosystem. But for this vision to become reality, the market must adapt quickly. With advancements in EV charging software, adoption of standards like OCPI, and strategic collaboration, we can rewrite the narrative for EV roaming.

The clock is ticking, and the EV ecosystem cannot afford to wait. Let’s rethink EV roaming—now.