Improving the Fleet Charging Experience with EV Roaming Networks

EV charging is vital to the transport transition

Roads came to the UK with the Romans and were designed to help its legions move quickly to quell rebellions. While roads made travel easier, the ability to move as quickly as possible over long distances has also always been desirable, from swapping horses at coaching inns to the plethora of petrol stations for drivers of legacy technology vehicles.  

However, as businesses and private motorists transition to EVs, our road network needs accessible charging infrastructure to ensure people are not left frustrated or stranded. When it comes to fleet operators and drivers, their journeys can take them far away from the depot, and they need the ability to charge on the go.

What is EV roaming?

Roaming is a term the EV industry has borrowed from the mobile phone sector and in essence it means the same thing – the ability to use a range of charging networks from different providers. In phone terms this typically applies to when you travel abroad. Your UK provider has partners in other countries, meaning you can still make calls, send messages and even use data. All this adds up to a seamless service – you step off the plane and your phone still works as it did in the UK. 

Similarly, the UK has multiple EV charging networks operated by different companies. The challenge here was that if you had an app or a charging card for Charge Point Operator A, you could not use it to charge on the network of Charge Point Operator B. Early EV drivers needed to carry multiple RFID cars or download an abundance of apps to access all the available charging networks. This added unnecessary complexity, stress, and hassle to EV charging. For businesses with multiple fleet vehicles and drivers, this can be multiplied further.

To make the charging experience better commercial EV drivers, we created roaming partnerships with other companies. This means that fleet drivers can use a range of charging networks while away from their depot. 

What are the benefits of EV roaming?

Whether you’re a commercial or private motorist, EV charging across the UK should be as seamless, convenient and accessible as using your phone abroad.  

Initially, drivers and fleet operators had to set up individual accounts for each charge point network, which was a duplication of effort and cost, required a lot of admin, and of course meant either having too many charging apps taking up room on company phones, or carrying around several RFID cards in each vehicle. 

Roaming removes all that hassle, as fleet drivers know they can arrive at charging hubs from different operators and refill their vehicle’s batteries quickly, conveniently and easily with partner apps/RFID cards. Drivers are no longer restricted to recharging their vehicles at charge points belonging to a specific network. Instead, they have access to a much higher number of chargers without having to worry about multiple memberships or subscriptions. This also means that fleet operators have more flexibility when planning their routes, without having to factor in visits to specific charging sites.

Which charging networks have fleet roaming partnerships with Mer?

Fleet operators can use a wide range of charging networks alongside the Mer network, such as Paua, Octopus Electroverse, Allstar, and Zap-Pay. Most recently we integrated with Tap Electric, which has an app designed to help fleet drivers and operators find high-quality AC and rapid DC chargers that are available, reliable and affordable across a range of locations in the UK. 

If you’re a fleet operator with Mer, our roaming agreements provide interoperability, convenience and accessibility for your drivers.