Stellantis to streamline charging for EV fleets and drivers with new business unit
Stellantis has established a dedicated EV charging business unit to support fleets and drivers with charging and energy management.
The new Stellantis Charging & Energy Business Unit supports the group’s Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan and launches first with its Free2move Charge ‘360-degree ecosystem’. This bundles in charging hardware, software and services to address EV customer needs at home, at work and on the go.
It’s intended to simplify charging and help end range anxiety under the e-ABC Promise: ‘easy to Always Be Charged’. It will also help drivers optimise energy management to reduce the total cost of ownership.
Free2move Charge is built around three separate pillars. A suite of Free2move Charge Home products provide support with installation, financing and warranty of home charging and other energy hardware and services. Options available include AC charging cables and wallboxes today to Vehicle-2-Home, Vehicle-2-Grid, and complete energy management systems. Future features will include touch-free wireless solutions and inductive robot charging.
Free2move Charge Business provides a one-stop-shop platform with a full suite of charging and energy services: early-on support, estimation of initial and future running costs, right-sizing of charging infrastructure, installation, maintenance and public charging access while on the go.
Free2move Charge Go gives access to what’s said to be the largest possible curated network of public charging points through partners in North America and Europe, as well as other regions to be announced soon. Alongside access, payment and 24-7 support, Free2move Charge Go will also roll out features such as Plug and Charge, reservations, loyalty programmes, subscriptions, prepaid packages, single invoice/billing and even deliver a charge to a requested location when needed.
Solutions will draw on the capabilities of the Stellantis Energy Cloud, integrating with vehicle-branded mobile apps and the group’s STLA SmartCockpit platform launching in 2024 to deliver fast, intelligent routes and charging recommendations to customers based on their actual usage and needs.
Free2move eSolutions, a technology company also part of Stellantis, will continue its work to develop and provide charging hardware that supports the Free2move Charge ecosystem, as well as non-captive customers, and work with other firms to bring more EV charging solutions to market.
Ricardo Stamatti, senior vice president, Stellantis Charging & Energy Business Unit, commented: “As the pace of mainstream EV adoption accelerates, our customers need us to be more than just a mobility provider. We are taking the lead in establishing a dedicated business unit that will support our bold electrification strategy and act as a natural extension of our iconic brands. Free2move Charge is the first product rolling out, exemplifying our purpose of delivering performance, value, sustainability and electrified mobility freedom for all.”