Volvo Cars has announced plans to integrate and consolidate a variety of charging and payment functions into its Volvo Cars smartphone app, available for iOS and Android devices. Through the move, the OEM hopes to make the app an easy-to-use, one-stop shop, for drivers of its electric vehicles.
With the app’s new charging functionality, EV drivers will be able to carry out the charging process from their smartphone. Here, users can locate public charging stations offered by several charge point operators, receive real-time information on their availability and pay for charging sessions.
The expanded functionality of Volvo’s smartphone app follows several activities around the world that work mutually to bolster its global EV charging operations. In China, for example, it recently signed agreements with Star Charge, State Grid and TELD, who together cover more than 75 per cent of the country’s public charging infrastructure. Customers in the region can find a charging station, beginning the process by scanning a QR code, and pay directly in the Volvo Cars app. Likewise, Chinese customers can pay through national payment services including WeChat Pay, Alipay, and V Point.
These activities follow a series of investments from the OEM into Powerstop-branded fast charging stations across countries in Europe – including Poland, Italy, and Belgium. In Spain, a partnership with Iberdrola works similarly to provide charging points at Volvo’s dealerships across the country. European customers can benefit further from the integration of Plugsurfing into the mobile app, which allows them to choose from more than 270,000 chargers across the continent.
U.S. customers will receive an expanded Volvo Cars app before the end of 2022. It is designed to build on the already successful ChargePoint in-vehicle app for Volvo Recharge customers in the region. Through it, customers can search, navigate and pay for charging at more than 25,000 locations. From MY 2023, all Volvo BEVs sold in the U.S. will provide three years of complimentary 250 kWh DC fast charging with Electrify America as well as a 12-month membership to Electrify America Pass+.
