Pod Point Open Charge network hits 40,000 users

Electric vehicle charging provider Pod Point has reached 40,000 users on its Open Charge smartphone app.

This is up 273 per cent from 14,631 in January 2017.

It represents almost 30 per cent of all plug-in vehicles on the UK’s roads, which currently stands at 133,910, according to data provided by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The company has also experienced a 1,000 per cent increase in charge cycles per month on its rapid charger network since May.

The Open Charge app was downloaded more than 2,400 times in January alone, with Pod Point forecasting user numbers to double again by the end of 2018

Erik Fairbairn, CEO and founder of Pod Point, said: “In 2017 the world woke up to the fact that the future of transport is electric, and we’re seeing this reflected in the take-up of our app. In addition to this, we’ve always believed EV drivers want friction-free charging without the hassle of RFID cards and this kind of exponential growth is a sign that we’ve got that right.”

Pod Point plans to significantly expand its public charging network in 2018, with rapid chargers a key plank of its growth strategy.

Erik added: “Every rapid charger we installed in 2017 is being well used, a sign of unsatisfied demand. We are expanding our network in line with this demand and in response to the usage trends that we have seen so far.”