Polestar is an automotive brand jointly owned by Volvo Car Group and its parent company Zhejiang Geely Holding. It is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden with production taking place in Chengdu, China.
Polestar is partnering with German-based Plugsurfing GmbH in Europe to improve electric vehicle public charging convenience ahead of initial Polestar 2 customer deliveries, scheduled for the coming months. The agreement signals yet another step into operational mode for Polestar.
Drivers will benefit from over 195,000 compatible charging points integrated into the Plugsurfing service across Europe. This network reduces the web of apps, accounts and authentication methods normally required for an EV driver into one streamlined service. Drivers can search for, access and pay flexibly at a multitude of charging point providers both close to home as well as on journeys abroad.
Plugsurfing has removed the barriers that often hinder EV driving abroad, as it eliminates the base requirements for charging with local providers, such as foreign bank accounts and local phone numbers. “Our focus is on delivering true value to customers by making public charging as easy as filling up with petrol,” says Adam Woolway, Plugsurfing co-founder. “Our obsession to innovate in a way that challenges the EV industry to move forward together is driven by this close, consolidated view on what we can do to improve the driver experience by making car charging easy”.
“This international European partnership with Plugsurfing is the first of these solutions and it paves the way for more partnerships which will also include national and local solutions,” comments Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath.
The Plugsurfing RFID tag, which will be supplied as standard with every new Polestar 2 in Europe, allows owners to reduce the number of apps, accounts and authentication processes required to charge their cars from the thousands of different charging service providers in the region. Customers will register an account with Plugsurfing, and thus benefit from one payment and authentication solution rather than requiring unique apps and accounts for a multitude of charging service providers.
The Google Maps integrated into Polestar 2 is optimised for electric vehicle owners, and to ensure further peace of mind for Polestar owners in their charging experiences, they will be advised upon receiving their Polestar 2 regarding charging infrastructure and how to utilise the Plugsurfing solution specifically.
About Plugsurfing
Plugsurfing is a Europe-wide electric car charging network, fostering sustainable mobility by providing EV drivers with seamless access to over 195.000 charging points in 33 countries. The Plugsurfing app and RFID charging key facilitate transparent and easy charging information and payment solutions for its users. As a strong partner of car manufacturers, fleet operators and leasing companies, Plugsurfing believes in a collective approach towards achieving sustainability. Products that provide elegant solutions to complex problems are the key to making the world a greener place. Plugsurfing was founded in 2012 and is located in Berlin. In 2018, Plugsurfing was acquired by Fortum Oyj.
About Polestar
Polestar is the electric performance car brand jointly owned by Volvo Car Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding. Polestar enjoys specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo Cars and benefits from significant economies of scale as a result. This facilitates the successful design, development and production of separately-branded, electric performance cars. In 2019, the Polestar 2 was revealed as the company’s first fully electric, higher volume premium car. Arriving in markets from the middle of 2020, the Polestar 2 electric performance fastback comes with 300 kW and 660 Nm, allwheel drive, a 78 kWh battery pack and a range of 470 km (WLTP) for the first year of productio