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Real-time charging station data on Electromaps: how does it actually work?

Real-time data offered by the Electromaps app come from various sources. We explain how we work with this information and what benefits this brings to users.

Laura Marcade
Jul 25, 2022
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Electromaps has been providing electric vehicle drivers with reliable charging station data since 2011. We are dedicated to providing the Electromaps community with the best possible charging experience. Just how do we process these data? Did you know that some of our data are updated in real time, i.e., every minute?

Here we explain how the real-time data on our app works.

How Electromaps gets its data from charging stations

As you are no doubt already aware, Electromaps is a super collaborative application. This means that EV drivers share information about charging stations (charging speed, type of socket, photos of the location, reviews, etc.). This mutual help between EV users is part of the DNA of Electromaps. Beyond the community, data also come from our partners.

Our data are drawn from three different sources:

• The Electromaps Community: Members help create data richness and reliability through their contributions. Our moderators check their shared information for quality and reliability before posting.

• Our partner charging networks: whenever a new network, for instance Total Energies, connects to our service, it sends us all the available data on their corresponding charging stations.

• Major roaming platforms, GIREVE and Hubject, which together cover a large portion of Europe. They do also provide real-time data access to us.

The data from the charging stations are collected by each charging operator and sent to the Electromaps application via the internet. The data are then displayed on the app for our users.

Our app even has a "Show only real time" filter.

How does Electromaps deliver real-time information?

What information is updated in real time?

This is the data on the availability and status of the charging stations and connectors. In other words, the statuses "Available", "Occupied", "In service", and "Out of service" represent the data displayed in real time on Electromaps.

The charging stations of the charging operators are in constant communication from their supervision software and our application.

Real-time information comes from direct management via our platform (i.e., Electromaps' chargers), or from our partner interoperability platforms such as Girève and Hubject.

What does real time mean?

In simple terms, real-time data are updated every minute. This would mean a delay of about 1-2 minutes before the status change is displayed on Electromaps. For example, there is a short delay between the moment you unplug your EV and the moment the connector returns to its available status on Electromaps.

The limitations of real time

Data may not be downloaded in real time in three cases:

• First: if a user posts a charge point for information purposes, this new point is not yet in the Electromaps network and, therefore, this is not under our control and cannot check it.

• Second: if a point breaks down, the information will not appear (the point status will be red, in “fault mode”).

• Third: if our charge point partners send the data with some delay.

These cases will impact the reliability of the information displayed.

Partnerships with CPOs

We are proudly partnering with major and renowned CPOs (Charge Point Operators) and networks, namely Ionity, TotalEnergies, Shell, Allego, Greenflux, EnBW, Power Dot, Iberdrola, EV Box, FEDA, and EDF throughout Europe. We also have a partnership in Spain with EDP and the municipal services of Barcelona.

All the other charge point operators with whom we have agreements work through Gireve or Hubject. These two platforms are intermediaries between CPOs and eMSPs (eMobility Service Providers) like us.

Why are interoperability agreements so important?

How do they benefit users?

Roaming agreements prove to be essential, as they are the easiest way for EV users to get all the information they need in a single app. As the number of chargers increases in our app, our EV users will feel even more comfortable travelling in Europe.

Say goodbye to the dread of not reaching a charger in time

A common concern among EV users is that there are not enough chargers and that they cannot move around without the fear of running out of battery. Electromaps helped buck this trend, displaying an ever-increasing number of chargers. Every day we have more chargers connected.

The roaming agreements with CPOs/eMSPs are also very important to offer the best charging rates to our EV drivers.

Furthermore, through agreements with other charge point operators, directly (OCPI) or through Gireve or Hubject, we can offer access to their charge points and even add more offers.

And say hello to centralised data in a single app

Today, being an EV driver means using different apps to find and pay for charging stations. Some of our users told us that they have too many different passes to be able to move around their country and charge at different stations.

Quite an effort in organisation!

Electromaps wanted to simplify things for EV drivers with an app that lets you activate different charge points from different operators in a single app.

As you can see, Electromaps does everything possible to ensure that you are stress-free and organised during your daily journeys or during your road trips around the world!

Join the Electromaps community to get wherever you want, whenever you want in an EV!

Laura Marcade
Jul 25, 2022
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