Bosch Launches App With Access to 150K EV Chargers Across Europe

Bosch has launched its proprietary EV charging network and application (App) that offers users access to around 150,000 EV charging spots across Europe.

Global automotive parts supplier Bosch has announced the launch of its proprietary EV charging network and application (App) –  Charge My EV – that offers electric vehicle (EV) drivers access to around 150,000 (for now) EV charging spots across Europe.

There is nothing drivers of electric cars want more. They want to quickly find a vacant charge spot, access it without the hassle of authorisation and passwords, pay for the electricity without fuss, and make good use of the time it takes to recharge. In reality, the picture is a different one and Bosch claims it has set itself the goal of putting an end to the current recharging muddle.

The company is developing recharging services that now give drivers access to one of the biggest pan-European EV recharging networks.

“At the time of writing, drivers can use their smartphones to find more than 150,000 charge spots in 16 European countries. It takes just a few clicks to register, recharge, and pay – including cost transparency,” the firm issued in a statement. It is offering its recharging solutions to private and business customers. And with location-related services, drivers can make better use of the time it takes to recharge.

“With our recharging services, we are developing a universal key to one of the biggest pan-European recharging networks. In doing so, we are making electromobility even more viable,” said Elmar Pritsch, the president of the Connected Mobility Solutions division of Robert Bosch GmbH.

The Europe-wide recharging network currently counts more than 150,000 charge spots, which drivers can access from one central app platform. The company has built the network by concluding contracts with operators and using methods such as roaming to connect the charge spots. As a result, more than 27,500 charge spots in Germany are now part of the network. For the drivers of electric cars, this means that they can use the proprietary Bosch app “Charge My EV” or affiliated providers such as “Clever Laden” to find vacant charge spots round the clock – whether in the neighbourhood or when traveling.

Moreover, the firm claims that its recharging network is constantly growing: by the end of 2020, it is expected to include some 200,000 charge spots across Europe.

The company also wants to put an end to the plethora of recharging access cards. Nearly one in two (45 percent) of all electric-car drivers use two to four different cards to access charge spots, and 15 percent of them use at least five cards (source: NewMotion). To use the Bosch recharging services, by contrast, a single sign-on in the smartphone app is all that is needed. This means that it is at last possible for drivers to recharge wherever and whenever they want, without the inconvenience of first having to register at a previously unused charge spot. The Bosch solution also makes payment simpler: the app pays using the credit card details uploaded to it and provides users with a monthly statement of recharging costs.

“Recharging has to be simple and smooth for everyone. Bosch’s smart recharging services are crucial for the widespread acceptance of electromobility,” Pritsch said. “In the future, recharging will be more than just filling up with electricity. The key for us here is a new personalisation of the entire recharging process.”