EV charging in the US still has a long way to go. From the infrastructure that’s needed to power the chargers to chargers that actually work when you need them, a lot of work is still needed on all levels. One thing that many can agree on, though, is the need for more ease of charging. Some people dislike the hassle of having to use a card or some app before they can charge. One charging company has seen those complaints and has answered. EVGo has rolled out a feature that will literally let an owner simply walk up, plug in and charge without the need for cards or an app.
Called autocharge+ the feature will allow users of select vehicles to use EVGo chargers without the need for apps or cards before they can be used. But there are caveats.
You have to enroll in the feature, which means using an app. But it looks to be a simple process. Simply download the app, add your vehicle to see if its eligible, scan or input the VIN number, go to a charging station, wait for the app to give you the go-ahead to charge, and then plug in. Once you plug in the first time, you are officially enrolled in autocharge+ and you no longer need to have your phone out or app open to charge. You simply walk up and plug in going forward, as the charger recognizes your vehicle.
The other caveats are that autocharge+ is only available with vehicles that can do two-way vehicle data sharing. EVgo says most EVs support this, but then they go on to list specific EVs that autocharge+ is eligible to be used with:
- Cadillac Lyriq
- Chevy Bolt/EUV
- Ford Mustang Mach-E. F-150 Lightning
- Genesis GV60
- GMC Hummer EV
- Hyundai Ioniq, Ioniq 5, Kona EV
- Kia Niro EV, EV6
- Mercedes EQS
- Polestar 2
- Subaru Solterra
- Toyota bZ4x
- Volvo XC40 Recharge
EVGo’s chief tech officer Ivo Steklac likens autocharge+ to other ease-of-use teach features like mobile paying platforms such as Apple Pay. “EVgo believes every step of the charging experience must be convenient and easy, including locating and reserving a charger, finding nearby shopping and experiences, and now with Autocharge+, seamlessly initiating a charging session,” he said in a press release.