Hyundai forms alliance with 6 EV charging stations

Hyundai Motor Group is joining hands with six electric vehicle charging stations here to form an alliance supporting the growth of the EV charging industry, the automotive giant said Thursday.

Hyundai said it signed partnerships with six Korean EV charging service providers to establish E-pit Alliance and agreed to work together in developing technologies related to E-pit, the automotive group’s ultra-fast charging station. The six EV service providers are Starkoff, Straffic, Jeju Electric Vehicle Service, ChargEV, Charzin, and Korea Electric Vehicle Charging Service.

Under the partnerships, Hyundai said it will develop a new E-pit platform that will allow customers to access services by different service providers with a single account. The platform is scheduled to be introduced in the first half of 2022.

The platform will also help member companies secure new customers and manage the charging facilities, Hyundai added.

The companies would also work together to come up with new technologies to make charging EVs more convenient, such as a Plug & Charge system allowing customers to charge and pay at the same time.

The alliance is open for new members.

“We expect the creation of the alliance and the envisioned E-pit platform would increase convenience for EV users,” a Hyundai official said in a press release.

“We hope to create a virtuous circle where convenient charging service leads to more EVs on roads, and that would foster growth of the EV charging industry.”

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)