In a bid to further its market-leading position as the number-one
for electric car breakdown cover, the RAC has joined forces with
Zap-Map – the UK’s no. 1 EV charge point mapping app – to be even
better placed to help electric vehicle (EV) drivers who run out
of charge.
The Zap-Map app
will be distributed to the RAC’s 1,600 patrols via all their
devices – phones, laptops and in-van terminals – enabling them to
locate the nearest available, suitable, publicly accessible
charge point for RAC members to get their EV recharged and back
on the road again as quickly as possible.
The RAC is already ideally set up to help members with EVs
because its patrols can provide an emergency charge to flat or
severely depleted electric cars with its award-winning RAC EV Boost
technology, without the need for heavy and bulky portable
batteries. It can also move stricken vehicles easily with the
All-Wheels-Up rapid recovery
system, which gives patrols flatbed towing capability from a
standard breakdown van.
RAC head of technical James Gibson said: “By ensuring all our
patrols have Zap-Map on their RAC devices, we’re giving members
with EVs extra reassurance that we’re equipped on every level to
get them going again, should they ever run out of charge or
encounter a faulty charge point.
“While we have the technology to give them an emergency boost,
it’s vital we know how far away the nearest suitable charger is
so we can give our members enough mobile charge to get them there
safely.
“We chose to partner with Zap-Map because it’s without doubt the
best app for finding the nearest available public charge points
for whichever vehicles our members might be driving. The level of
information provided in the app is excellent and we urge every EV
driver to download and use it, as it genuinely makes EV driving
even simpler.”
Alex Earl, commercial director at Zap-Map, said: “We are always
keen to explore new ways of working, especially when they help to
make the switch to electric as seamless as possible.
“The RAC has so many patrols on the road, and they will
increasingly encounter EV drivers who may be in need of their
help. We therefore felt it made sense to provide them with easy
access to Zap-Map, as it will lead to a better experience for
anyone who does run out of charge.
“We will also be looking to get patrols to feedback on anything
they discover about out-of-order or faulty charge points,
ensuring Zap-Map users have access to even more accurate
information to search, plan and pay for their electric journeys.”
Last year, the RAC and Zap-Map published a joint report on
EV charging provision at
supermarkets, which found that the number of chargers at
supermarkets had grown by 85% over a 21-month period. During that
time, Tesco had added more EV chargers than any other
supermarket.
In January, the RAC became the first major roadside assistance
company to add a pure EV to its breakdown fleet by putting a
Renault Zoe Van E-Tech into service. The patrol van will
principally be used to attend the RAC’s two most common
breakdowns – batteries and tyres, which together account for
nearly half of all call-outs.
To make it easier for drivers to go electric, the RAC has joined
forces with Novuna Vehicle Solutions to offer affordable
leases on some of the most popular EV models and with British
Gas on the installation of smart 7kW home chargers and
a bespoke EV electricity tariff
with cheaper off-peak overnight charging.
To speed up the switch to electric cars, the RAC has also helped
found the FairCharge campaign, which aims to remove many of the
barriers currently facing drivers. It will push key EV issues,
such as the cost, availability and speed of charging, as well as
battery range and the affordability of switching to an electric
car, to the forefront of the political agenda.
More information about FairCharge can be found at www.faircharge.co.uk.
