EVgo, one of the largest DC fast charging providers in the United States, expanded the Plug & Charge functionality to cover over 50 battery-powered cars.
The feature is called Autocharge+ in the company’s lingo but it essentially means that owners who have everything set up in their accounts no longer need to swipe a card or open a smartphone app when topping up their vehicles at an EVgo DC fast charger.
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Plug & Charge means exactly what it says on the box: plug an EV into a compatible charger and the charging session begins automatically, as long as everything is set up properly in the user's account.
At EVgo, one of the largest DC fast charging providers in the U.S., the functionality has been expanded to cover over 50 EVs.
Among the compatible cars are the Acura ZDX, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia EV6, Nissan Ariya, Polestar 2 and Toyota bZ4X. The Tesla Model X, Y, S and 3 can also use the feature with a CCS Combo 1 adapter. The feature will also be enabled on EVgo’s NACS-equipped stalls in the future after more locations have the Tesla-designed plug implemented.
EVgo says that Autocharge+ is only available for EVs with CCS connectors that support the two-way vehicle data-sharing functionality. To enable Plug & Charge, customers need to enroll their cars in EVgo’s smartphone app by scanning the vehicle’s VIN. If the car is eligible, a button that reads, “Request to Enroll” will be displayed.
The following step is to physically drive to an EVgo DC fast charging station and initiate a fast-charging session. This step sends the car’s unique identifier to EVgo, which is then linked to the person’s account.
The Tesla Supercharger network, ChargePoint, EV Connect and Electrify America offer similar functionality, meaning less hassle for EV owners who just want to top up and go.
"The key to achieving widespread EV adoption in the U.S. is giving EV drivers a convenient, streamlined charging experience, and Autocharge+ does just that," said Stacey Stewart, SVP of Charging at EVgo. "Through our collaboration with automakers and ongoing interoperability testing with new and existing EV models, EVgo continues to enhance the customer experience across the network for everyone – no matter which EV model they choose to drive."
EVgo says that the functionality is only available at its DC fast charging stations. This means customers visiting a Level 2 EVgo charger will still have to go through the app or pay with a card to top up.
EVgo currently has over 950 fast charging stations across over 35 states.
