New peer-to-peer EV charging network for businesses

The electric vehicle charging platform, Zap-Map, has launched two peer-to-peer charging networks in the UK that will allow fleets and private motorists to make their charge points accessible to other EV drivers.

The new networks will enable charge point owners to sell electricity to third party EV drivers.

Tapping into the sharing economy, Zap-Map says Zap-Work, for workplace charge points, and Zap-Home, for domestic charge points, could expand the UK recharging infrastructure by 60,000 units.

More than 30% of workplace charge point owners are prepared to share their recharging facility with other drivers, according to Zap-Map. Via Zap-Work, EV drivers make direct peer-to-peer contact with a charge point owner to arrange a charge, resolve any access requirements and agree payment - the owner can set a cost per charge to cover its costs. The EV driver then pays via PayPal.Me for convenience and security.

Dr Ben Lane, chief technology officer at Zap-Map, said, “Businesses are particularly proactive, with 5% of workplace charging points already being shared, either for employee use or as part of improving customer service.”

Zap-Work locations could also provide regular overnight parking and charging options to EV owners who don't have access to off-street parking or a home charge point. The revenue generated would help companies to recover the costs of installing workplace charge points more quickly.

Zap-Home works in a very similar fashion, allowing charge point owners to earn money by sharing their home point.

Zap-Map currently has more than 15,680 public charging points across 5,461 locations in its network. Its app shows the live network status, updated every five minutes, at more than half of these chargers. The company has over 60,000 unique users of its map across both its web and app platform.