Gridserve, the sustainable EV charging company, has launched it’s new mobile application for EV motorists. The new application is available in the Apple or Android stores and can be found by searching for Gridserve. It is free to download and use. The ability to search for a nearby charging station is simple. Customers using the app will also benefit from a 20% discount when paying through the app until October 1st 2024.
The application was developed in partnership with Dootrix, a Microsoft Azure specialist and Gold Application Development partner. The application enables users to locate the Electric Forecourts and Electric Charging Super Hubs that Gridserve is rolling out across the country. These enable EV drivers to charge their vehicles using electricity that is “powered by renewable energy”.
Gridserve generates and stores zero-carbon energy with large-scale hybrid solar + battery farms. Storing it safely for use when the sun goes down. Its strapline of Sun to Wheel delivers exactly what it says. The company generates 62GWh of clean energy from four solar farms. Connected via the national grid, one assumes that Gridserve currently generates more energy than drivers are using. It currently has over 190 locations with over 1,400 charging bays.
Rebecca Trebble, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Gridserve, said, “We are thrilled to be launching the GRIDSERVE app. 200,000 charging sessions are recorded on the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway every month, and the new app will make those charging sessions even easier. We have listened to our users and made it easier to receive receipts as we look to constantly improve our service. With 20% off charging across our locations this summer, it’s the perfect time to utilise the network and the app for a summer adventure.”
The application
Developed with Dootrix, the application is simple to use. It enables users to create an account, set up payment details and search for a location to charge from. What it doesn’t show is upcoming locations nor the distance that the driver needs to travel to the location. For those living in rural locations, this would be a useful enhancement. Users can also view payment history and real-time charging information, including the estimated time left to charge.
The app with enable sustainability-conscious drivers to locate a source of carbon-free energy charging from across the country. Gridserve is constantly adding to its network of charging points. The latest announcement was the Teals farm shop near Yeovil on the A303. This already appears on the mobile app. Other locations include motorway service areas and Electric Retail Hubs at locations such as Dobbies.
Rob Borley, CEO at Dootrix, who has been working with GRIDSERVE on selected projects since 2019, helping to build some of its technology solutions, said, “This state-of-the-art technology creates the roadmap for continued advancements that can be made quickly to meet future needs and empower EV drivers even more.”
One innovative feature of the charging application is the ability for users to visualise the variation in the speed of EV charging during a session. As the battery nears 20%, the charging rate speeds up. As it nears 80%, the rate of charging tends to slow down. The charging rate varies by make and model and is useful to know. As motorists may prefer to continue their journey in some instances rather than wait for a full charge.
Borley added, “This is made possible by a very strong technical connection to the chargers themselves; real-time data from the chargers enables the app to build charging curves of the number of kilowatts that are being delivered to the vehicle throughout the charging session.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean
EV Charging companies are emerging quickly, luckily at a similar rate to EVs. Gridserve has a long way to catch up with leading platforms such as Monta. Still, the application will enhance loyalty with customers who want to ensure their cars are charged using green energy. They appear to have identified a market sector that may stay loyal.
The application is a solid way of achieving that stickiness, with a simple-to-use interface that customers should like. What Gridserve needs to do is expand its network of charging points. To ensure that its customers can find one within a short distance. It will also need to keep an eye on what competitors are doing with their applications. To ensure it stays at the forefront of ease of use and price point. The 20% discount will help, but will this attract enough customers? The Monta platform enables drivers to access multiple types of charging stations (over 100,000) across the UK and Europe. Monta also recently gave drivers the option to charge their cars using cleaner energy, or a lower price point.
In the future, Gridserve may look to partner with Monta. If it does, that will give it access to more drivers while maintaining its green credentials.
