Dive Brief:
- Stellantis has launched its electric-vehicle charging service, dubbed Free2move Charge, in North America and will then expand to Europe, according to a company press release Tuesday.
- The service will provide homes and businesses with EV charging and energy management services, including access to public charging stations.
- Stellantis is evaluating whether to adopt Tesla’s proprietary plug design, the North American Charging Standard, for its EVs. It’s unclear how that would affect Free2move Charge.
Dive Insight:
Ford Motor Co., General Motors, Rivian and Volvo recently agreed to install NACS plugs in their vehicles, signaling that Tesla’s plug design could become the de facto standard for EV charging in the U.S.
It’s a notable development, as most public charging stations in North America use the Combined Charging System developed by SAE International, a global standards development and professional association for mobility engineering. SAE International announced Tuesday that it would create industry performance standards for NACS, including cybersecurity, charging speeds and reliability requirements.
But Stellantis remains committed to its EV charging strategy for now. Earlier this month, the automaker said it would continue to focus on its Free2Move Charge brand, which enables customers to access charging stations through partnerships with charging providers in North America and Europe under its Free2move Charge Go offering.
Free2move Charge Home will offer EV charger installation and financing to private customers, as well as complete energy management systems.
In addition, Free2move Charge Business will offer companies a wide range of EV charging and energy services, including cost estimates and charging infrastructure design, installation, maintenance and public charging access.
