FAQ

EV roaming means that EV drivers can access a wide range of public charging stations using their preferred method of payment. 

With the multiplication of charging networks, there is also a multiplication of accounts and digital wallets. This can be frustrating for EV drivers and is certainly not desirable in a context where there are still barriers to the adoption of electric vehicles.

EV roaming exists precisely to simplify the charging experience by making it flexible and seamless for EV drivers, and to accelerate the electrification of transport for both the public and commercial fleet managers.

Most charging networks and apps have interoperability agreements with other networks. Simply consult the interoperability status in Canada or EV roaming compatibility tool to see the networks on which you can charge your EV with your favorite app or network.

Then you can use a charging app or the app of your preferred charging network to find charging stations according to different criteria. You can also use a network aggregator, to find and view the status of all charging stations in North America. Some apps let you easily see which charging stations in other networks are compatible. 

Before plugging in your vehicle, make sure you have credit in your account wallet (unless charging is free). Once you have reached the charging station, simply activate it with your app and charge your vehicle.

It's that simple!

To learn more about the activation of charging stations in Canada's major networks, watch our videos.

Our EV roaming compatibility tool lists the networks and applications compatible with each other.

With the exponential growth in the number of charging stations and networks in North America, we are witnessing a multiplication of payment systems, which are unfortunately not always compatible with each other. This represents a major challenge to the mass adoption of EVs. But there are solutions such as EV roaming which enables EV drivers to charge on multiple networks using their preferred payment method via a single account. This innovation greatly simplifies charging on public networks for commercial vehicle fleets and helps accelerate their electrification.

EV drivers must have an account with a charging network or app with credit added to their wallet (unless the charging station offers free charging). Then, they can use a charging app or their preferred network's app to find compatible charging stations. You can also use EV roaming compatibility tool to see on which networks you can charge with your favorite app or network. Once you have reached the charging station, simply activate it with your app and charge your vehicle. It's that simple!

EV roaming is fundamental to the Plug & Charge experience. The "magic" of charging up by plugging in your vehicle and automatically activating and paying for the charging station requires a complex software infrastructure, as well as commercial and legal agreements that enable charging between different networks. Without the interoperability of charging networks, the Plug & Charge experience would be severely limited, given the number of automakers and the growth in the number of charging networks.

We have developed a complete section on charging interoperability for vehicle fleets.

Operating a fleet of vehicles is complex, and its electrification represents a major challenge in terms of infrastructure and operation. Although most of the charging is carried out on the fleet's own charging network, the use of a public network may be required in many circumstances.

Many use cases such as car rentals and passenger transportation (cab, Uber, etc.), delivery vehicles, long-distance transport or support and maintenance services may require charging on public stations during service hours. All of this, multiplied by dozens, even hundreds of vehicles for some fleet managers.

Fleets looking to electrify must look at a variety of factors when planning out how the charging will be handled. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and it is important to note that public charging can never be completely avoided even for fleets that are adopting a back-to-base strategy as they will always need a backup solution. 

The use of credit or debit cards (contactless payment) as a way of activating and paying for charging has a number of limitations: 

• Uneven coverage of the functionality
• Multiple charging network accounts payment reconciliation is challenging and taxing for the accounting team
• Maintaining credit cards in the car’s glove box is not the future of energy payment for fleet and may be challenging for fraud prevention
• Inability to offer the latest and seamless charging technologies, such as Plug & Charge, as well as advanced functionalities such as trip planning

Ultimately, integrating a fleet into numerous charging networks can be complicated by the multiplication of current and future networks, which may require numerous technical, commercial, administrative, and legal integration. It is therefore crucial for a fleet to be able to benefit from the advantages of EV roaming, so as to be able to fully embrace the transition to electric vehicles.

Download our Guide to Prepare Your Public Charging Strategy

They are synonyms and mean the same thing.

The EV driver's personal information typically remains in the hands of the mobility service provider, usually the app used to connect to a network. The customer's personal information is not shared with the charging network unless the EV driver requests it.

In the case of direct connections, such as peer-to-peer interoperability agreements, data-sharing policies are specific to each interconnection. Given the importance of confidentiality issues, the companies involved have in place extensive data protection protocols.

It is important to note that maintaining and managing the infrastructure required for large-scale EV roaming represents a significant and growing cost. Many EV drivers or fleet managers prefer the simplicity of having a single account rather than managing multiple accounts and credit cards, given the modest fees involved. Networks or automakers offering interoperable charging may decide to cover these fees by offering different charging packages.

Interoperability can mean different things in different contexts. In the context of the Agora initiative, it refers to the interoperability of charging networks, i.e., the activation and payment system between different charging networks. 

In the case of the Combined Charging System (CCS) and North American Standard (NACS), another form of interoperability is involved, namely compatibility between a vehicle and a charging station. Interoperability between CCS and NACS connectors is a physical form of interoperability, quite different from charging network interoperability.