- Zaptec invests £430,000 in London-based EV charging software company Switch
- Investment enables next-generation charging technology with no apps or credit cards
- New Zaptec prototype offers complete end-to-end implementation of Plug&Charge
- Existing Zaptec Pro chargers hardware-ready for this transformative technology
“Imagine charging without apps and without adding payment details. This is Plug&Charge technology,” says Zaptec’s CEO Peter Bardenfleth-Hansen.
The hassle of apps and payment details will soon be a thing of the past for EV owners across the UK. Innovative electric vehicle (EV) charge point manufacturer Zaptec has developed one of the world’s first AC EV chargers with complete end-to-end implementation and compatibility of revolutionary Plug&Charge functionality.
Zaptec’s exciting new prototype builds upon the strengths of its Zaptec Pro model to offer a completely seamless charging experience. While the Zaptec Pro has been a UK leader in build quality, design, efficiency, and safety for office and commercial applications, this latest software prototype demonstrates its ability to be easily adapted to emerging EV charging trends and technologies.
With many EV manufacturers now adopting Plug&Charge technology, over-the-air updates are being pushed out to existing EV owners. This technology allows Zaptec Pro users to simply plug their car in, with communication about payment and charge requirements automatically taking place between the charge point and the vehicle. It has been developed in accordance with ISO 15118 – the framework for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) communication that dictates the bi-directional charging of electric vehicles.
Once finalised, this new software package will enable the majority of Zaptec Pro systems to quickly update to Plug&Charge compatibility. The Pro’s design has been hardware-ready for the past two years, with all installations from 2020 until now compatible with the update.
Guy Haydon, Managing Director at Zaptec UK, commented: “The introduction of Plug&Charge is revolutionising the EV ownership experience – long gone are the hassle and headache of apps and payment information for every new charger you come across. This new prototype demonstrates the forward-thinking nature of Zaptec hardware design and the ability to progressively update it with important new features and compatibilities. The best part is that all Zaptec Pro units installed since 2020 are already compatible with Plug&Charge capability. We look forward to its implementation, here in the UK.”
