Everything you need to know about Plug&Charge

Plug&Charge has arrived on the Ewiva network – a system that allows all enabled cars to recharge quickly and easily without using apps or RFID cards.

 

What is Plug&Charge?

Plug&Charge is an innovative way of enjoying charging in all HPC – High Power Charging – Ewiva stations that allows e-drivers an even simpler and smarter charging. E-drivers who drive Plug&Charge-enabled electric cars will be able to recharge their cars without using cards or smartphones, simply by plugging the vehicle into the charger.

 

How does Plug&Charge work?

With the Plug&Charge system, recharging has never been easier: simply drive your car to an Ewiva station, unplug the connector from the column and plug it into your car. In a few seconds, charging starts automatically thanks to the “dialogue” between the column and the car.

 

To end charging, simply press “stop” on the display of the column, detach the connector from the car, put it back in its place, and you are good to go!

 

The operation is possible thanks to the ISO 15118 standard, which allows recognition between the power grid, the car and the profile associated with it, automatically activating the charging process without the need for further action.

 

 

Who can use Plug&Charge?

In order to use this charging option, you should make sure that your car supports the Plug&Charge function. This is a feature that is already supported by several cars and will be increasingly popular in the future. In addition, you need to enable geolocation and update your car’s software to the latest version.

 

It is also important that your personal account is set up on the vehicle app and that it is always up to date, especially for those users who have had an active offer for a long time. Finally, you should always check for your MSP (Mobility Service Providers) to be interoperable with Ewiva and Plug&Charge enabled.

 

Which vehicles support Plug&Charge?

Plug&Charge is available, to date, on Hyundai’s Kona Electric and IONIQ6 models, Mercedes‘ C-Class, S-Class, EQS and GLC vehicles, ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, ID. Buzz, ID. Buzz Cargo and Cupra Born from Volkswagen (for which an update to software version 3.1 is required), on Porsche Tycan, Audi‘s e-Tron series models, Skoda‘s Enyaq iV and Ford Mustang Mach-E.

 

Other manufacturers, such as KIA, BMW and Volvo, have announced the implementation of charging via Plug&Charge on future electric vehicle lines.

 

Why is Plug&Charge useful?

Thanks to Ewiva’s ultra-fast network, for the first time in Italy, Plug&Charge will be deployed nationwide and on a large scale.

 

Plug&Charge makes Ewiva’s ultra-fast network affordable for everyone, to make the infrastructure increasingly accessible to all e-drivers 24/7. That’s why Ewiva has committed to implement Plug&Charge in more than 280 ultra-fast charging stations, an open system that can be integrated by any automaker and any charging point operator, adaptable to all types of columns: both alternating charge and DC columns.

“Plug & charge” system arrives on Ewiva’s high-power network: electric charging is getting easier

Starting today, it will be easier than ever to charge at one of the 280 Ewiva stations, thanks to the innovative plug&charge system introduced in collaboration with Enel X Way as a technological enabler that allows the charging station to communicate directly with the car without the use of apps or cards. Moreover, just recently Ewiva extended the trial for direct payment by credit/debit card to 5 new Italian cities.

 

 

Milan, Sept. 20, 2023 – Ewiva is enhancing its efforts to make its electric vehicle charging service increasingly simple and open to all the e-drivers. After the recent expansion to 5 new Italian cities of the experimental project that allows people to pay for charging with their credit or debit card directly at the charging site, the joint venture of Enel X Way and Volkswagen Group has introduced Plug&Charge functionality on all its ultra-fast charging stations in Italy.

 

So from now on, at all HPC – High Power Charging – Ewiva charging stations, drivers of Plug&Charge-enabled electric cars will be able to recharge their vehicles without the use of apps or cards. In fact, thanks to the Plug&Charge feature, once they reach the HPC charging station, they have to simply unplug the connector from the column and plug it into the vehicle: the column automatically recognizes the car and the user profile connected to it, and in just a few seconds autonomously starts charging. To end the operation, on the other hand, simply press the stop button on the column, detach the connector from the car, put it back in its housing, and drive off again.

 

The Plug&Charge functionality, which complies with the ISO 15118 standard and has been introduced by Ewiva for the first time in a widespread manner on its network thanks to the technological enablement of Enel X Way, is already available on numerous electric vehicles spread across the market, allowing for fast, simple and reliable recharging and payment.

 

And to make the charging even easier, together with the introduction of Plug&Charge functionality, Ewiva is working on the expansion of the experimental project that allows people to pay for recharging with their credit or debit card, directly on its network. Launched in March 2023 at the HPC station in Ceprano (FR), the trial was extended in September to other charging stations selected for different use cases and types of tourist or general motorist traffic: Siena and Capalbio in Tuscany, Carini in Sicily, Lainate in Lombardy, and Mondovì in Piedmont. The service includes the possibility to pay directly at the station contactless through debit, credit or prepaid cards of the Mastercard, Visa, Vpay and Maestro circuits, or through Apple Pay and Google Pay.

 

With this innovation, Ewiva aims to enable electric vehicle charging even for occasional customers, such as tourists, those who have activated a short-term rental of an electric vehicle, or anyone who does not already have a subscription with a charging service provider (MSP). In addition, this card payment solution is also designed to offer an alternative to those who are oriented toward pay-as-you-go charging, including regular e-drivers who, in an emergency, may need different payment methods to take advantage of charging.

 

“Ewiva’s commitment to the development of electric mobility in Italy,” said Federico Caleno, CEO of Ewiva and Head of Country Italy of Enel X Way, “passes not only through the extension of the high-power charging infrastructure from the North to the South of the country, but also through the ability to offer new services to e-drivers that make the experience of traveling electrically increasingly simple and accessible to all. In fact, the Plug&Charge feature and the ability to pay for charging by card and enable the network to different payment circuits meet the multiple charging needs and broaden the accessibility of the service.”

 

These two initiatives confirm Ewiva’s desire to spread electric mobility in our country, a mission the company is fulfilling by focusing on ease, convenience and ubiquity. In fact, with its own charging network, Ewiva is now present all over the country, from North to South, including the Islands.

 

 

With Ewiva everything is POSsible: card payment extended to 5 new stations

After the pilot project in Ceprano (FR), the experimentation of contactless payment service by credit card or ATM card also arrives in Lainate (MI), Mondovì (CN), Siena (SI), Capalbio (GR) and Carini (PA).

 

Accessibility is one of the pillars of the project of Ewiva, a reality born from the joint venture between Enel X Way and Volkswagen Group to create the largest ultra-fast charging network in Italy. Among our goals is to make electric mobility simple and affordable for everyone, meeting the needs of an increasing number of e-drivers.

 

After the pilot project of the Ceprano (FR) station, we have extended to 5 other Ewiva stations the experimentation of the service that offers the possibility to recharge one’s car and pay by card directly at the charging station, even when one does not have a subscription with a charging service provider (MSP).

 

In particular, the contactless payment service has been extended to the stations in Capalbio (GR), Carini (PA), Lainate (MI), Mondovì (CN) and Siena (SI) and is aimed at all those who need a non-regular recharge, such as foreign tourists traveling or those who have rented an electric vehicle. In addition, this option can also be useful for regular e-drivers in case of need.

 

Where can I find Ewiva stations where you can pay by card?

Here is a detailed list with the addresses of the 6 Ewiva stations where you can recharge your electric car by paying by credit or debit card:

– Capalbio, Via Origlio 86
– Ceprano, Via Caragno 12
– Carini, Via Chiachea 17
– Lainate, Via Juan Manuel Fangio
– Mondovì, Corso Mondovicino 13
– Siena, Via Fausto Coppi 1

 

Which circuits are enabled for payment?

The service provides the possibility to pay directly at the station in contactless mode through debit, credit or prepaid cards of the Mastercard, Visa, Vpay and Maestro circuits, or through Apple Pay and Google Pay. For the trial period, recharging and paying via one of these methods directly at the Ewiva stations listed above will cost €0.90/kWh including VAT.