From the Highlands to the Lowlands: Octopus Energy brings easy EV charging across Scotland

• Nearly 2,900 ChargePlace Scotland chargers now accessible through Octopus Energy’s Electroverse app, unlocking EV charging convenience
• Drivers can plan routes & power up with one app, ideal for summer road trips
• Comes as Scotland has the highest concentration of chargers outside London

London, 22 August 2024 – Scottish electric vehicle (EV) drivers are in for an easy charging experience as ChargePlace Scotland plugs into Octopus Energy’s EV charging platform.

The Octopus Electroverse pioneering ‘one card, one app’ model drastically simplifies public charging for EV drivers, eliminating the need to download multiple apps. The disruptor is Britain’s largest charging platform, nearly tripling customers in the past year.

Octopus Electroverse users can now power up at ChargePlace Scotland’s nearly 2,900 chargers across the scenic highlands to bustling urban centres.

App features like its map, route-planner and in-car support with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mean electric car drivers can make their summer road trips with ease.

It comes as Scotland is a trailblazer in the EV revolution, boasting the highest concentration of EV chargers per 100,000 people outside of Greater London. Through this deal, drivers now get one tap access to the majority of chargers in Scotland.

ChargePlace Scotland is Scotland’s national charging network, funded by the Scottish Government. It led the charge in building EV infrastructure, growing nearly 50-fold in under a decade.

In addition, through partnering with Evolt Charging powered by SWARCO Smart Charging - who provide the back-office services for ChargePlace Scotland under contract to Transport Scotland - 800+ Evolt chargers across the UK are also now connected to Electroverse.

They join 950 charge point brands available for drivers to use in over 40 countries on Electroverse, giving customers access to over 800,000 chargers around Europe.

Matt Davies, Director of Octopus Electroverse, said: “We’re thrilled to bring ChargePlace Scotland on board, supercharging our mission to simplify public electric car charging. Drivers can now seamlessly access thousands of Scottish chargers at just one tap. ChargePlace Scotland has been a trailblazer in building out EV infrastructure – and together, we’re driving towards a better future for EV drivers.”

Stephen Trayner, Customer Service Director at ChargePlace Scotland/Evolt, said “This partnership with Octopus is another great step forward for ChargePlace Scotland and driver choice. It demonstrates Transport Scotland and Evolt Charging’s commitment to cooperation that delivers a just transition, confidence in EVs, and furthers operation of Scotland’s network. Ease of access is crucial to Scotland and the UK’s EV growth - and this makes John O’Groats to Lands End an even simpler EV reality.”

This is the next step in Octopus Energy Group’s plans to rapidly accelerate the adoption of clean transport. Its Octopus Electric Vehicles division is now the UK’s largest EV-only leasing business and Octopus is a pioneer in smart tariffs for EVs.

Its popular ‘Intelligent Octopus Go’ tariff uses the company’s tech platform Kraken to charge EVs when the grid’s greenest and cheapest. This year, the company also launched the UK’s first mass market vehicle-to-grid tariff - Octopus Power Pack - enabling free home charging.

Drivers interested in signing up to Octopus Electroverse can sign up here on the website or the app can be downloaded on Apple and Android.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

Press Contacts

Octopus Energy Group

Amy Boekstein

PR Manager

press@octoenergy.com

+44 (0)20 4530 8369

ChargePlace Scotland

Contact the Transport Scotland press team at media@transport.gov.scot (these contact details provided are for media only)

About Octopus Electroverse

Launched in summer 2020, Octopus Electroverse is Octopus’ answer to the frequent complaint that Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers need many different apps and cards to use the many different brands of EV charging stations. Electroverse is making public charging simple by having just one card and one app, with zero added costs or ongoing fees, and support for the latest in-car technology.

EV drivers across the globe can now access over 800,000 different charge points from 950 different charging operator brands in over 40 countries. Electroverse is open to anyone, and Octopus Energy customers have the option of linking their public EV charging with their home energy bill for the ultimate simplicity. Electroverse (previously Electric Juice) won ‘Best EV Innovation’ at Driving Electric Awards 2021 and ‘Best Use of Technology’ at UK Business & Innovations Awards 2022. For more information on Electroverse, head to our website.

About Octopus Energy Group

Octopus Energy is a global clean energy tech business, driving the affordable, green energy system of the future. Under its own retail brand, Octopus delivers world-class customer service and cutting edge energy products to 8 million households globally. Its operations span 18 countries and the entire energy value chain. The group invests in, builds and flexibly manages renewable energy, operating a £7 billion portfolio of projects.

Octopus has licensed its advanced data and machine learning platform, Kraken, to support over 54 million customer accounts worldwide through licensing deals with companies such as EDF, E.ON and Origin Energy. Kraken enables Octopus to drive the electrification of heat and transport through smart tariffs and innovative cleantech. Backed by pension funds, investors and energy giants, Octopus Energy Group businesses deliver cheaper, greener energy and cutting-edge tech to countries and customers worldwide.

For more information, check out our website

About ChargePlace Scotland

ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) was established by the Scottish Government in 2011 with the aim of

encouraging the early adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The objective was to invest ahead of need

and develop the foundations for future growth. The network has been developed through grant

funding to a range of organisations across the public, private and third sectors. Today there are over 400 individual organisations that own over 2,900 public EV charging assets on CPS making it one of the largest public charging networks in the UK today.