EV charge station data: availability, price and more

Valentina Neri Serneri Mar 15, 2021 · 3 min read

Chargetrip comes integrated with the Eco-Movement charge station database covering all of Europe: 100,000 charge stations and counting. But what information is available? And what data can you display in your EV routing application?

This article looks at common charge station information to show EV drivers on a map. For a complete list of charge station data available, please check the Chargetrip API documentation under ‘Stations’.

Please mind that Chargetrip can also integrate a custom charge station database.

Station ID

Each charge station has a unique identifying code. This is not to be confused with the station name, which may be anything the CPO chooses.

We suggest always displaying the station ID on your charge map or routing application. This makes it easier for users to report any issues they encounter.

Address

Usually, any charge map or EV routing application shows the location address. Station coordinates are also provided in the backend. Location accuracy is essential here. Imagine driving on the highway, only to realize the coordinates are slightly wrong, and that the charge station is on the other side of the road.

Parking Type

Parking type tells users what environment they can expect when charging. For example, this could be on the road, along a highway, in a parking lot or an underground parking garage.

Opening Times

When drivers can use the charge station. Whether or not it works outside of these hours is usually shown in the field “Charging when closed”.

Operator

The ‘Operator’ field tells you which carrier operates the selected location. This is useful for drivers to know, especially when paying. They may, for example, have a subscription with certain operators for better prices.

Preferred operators can be selected within our algorithm. This allows CPOs and EMSPs to privilege their own charge stations over others, if the difference for drivers is minimal.

Plug Type

The OCPI documentation lists 27 different types of connectors, of which 12 are for domestic use. Six of the remaining are popular for EVs. It’s essential for EV drivers to know what connectors a charge station offers, to know if they can actually charge there.

Plug Power

Our charge station database contains all public chargers, but we only route drivers through Level 3 DC chargers. Here, we don’t consider Level 1 or 2 chargers for charging because it doesn’t make sense for drivers to wait several hours en route. However, it does make sense to charge at Level 1 or 2 chargers once the user reaches their destination.

Availability

Some CPOs display the current availability of their EVSEs. If so, this information is also available on the Chargetrip app.

Price

Not all CPOs publicize their tariff. While they should be transparent, they’re not obliged to by law. If this information is publicly available, it will be shown on the app.

Amenities nearby

Need to hit a supermarket on your way to the AirBnB? Chargetrip comes with a list of amenities you can show to EV drivers, letting them choose if they want to charge while grocery shopping, drinking a coffee, or having some lunch.

Conclusion

A flawless EV driving experience needs accurate information. The information above is available through both the Chargetrip API, and Chargetrip’s white-label applications.