Electrify America says its fast-charging network now offers an innovative payment technology called Plug&Charge, which allows electric vehicle (EV) owners to begin a charge without having to use their wallets, smartphones or bank cards.
After a brief online registration, drivers can automatically pay for charging by simply plugging in their EV. The charger communicates with the vehicle to identify, authenticate, authorize and bill the customer’s registered account for the charging session. The entire process allows for a seamless charging experience for the customer.
This innovative technology is now available on all Electrify America chargers across the U.S. in advance of the anticipated arrival in the coming months of Plug&Charge-capable EVs, including the 2021 models of the Porsche Taycan, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Lucid Air.
Electrify America is the first company to offer this service to multiple automakers. The company offers the fastest charging technology available today to provide charging speeds of up to 150 and 350 kW, a breakthrough for the network that debuted in May 2018.
“We are investing in customer-focused technologies like Plug&Charge to make the charging experience easier than filling up at a gas pump,” says Cliff Fietzek, senior director of technology at Electrify America. “Once a Plug&Charge account is created, EV drivers can simply plug in their vehicle and the charger handles the financial transaction.”
The Plug&Charge feature is enabled by vehicle-to-grid communication technology that utilizes encrypted security measures. It follows the ISO 15118 standard, an international standard that outlines the secured communication protocol that an EV and charging station should use to recharge the EV’s battery. It enables simplified charging functionality for the most prevalent EV charging connector type – the combined charging system (CCS).
Electrify America, the largest open DC fast-charging network in the U.S., has more than 500 charging stations open to the public with over 2,200 individual chargers.