News
PLUGO Has Developed a Revamped Version of the “Premium Charging Alliance” App
PLUGO Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “PLUGO”) has been involved with revamping the dedicated app for the Premium Charging Alliance (hereinafter referred to as the “PCA”) charging service for electric vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “EV”) provided by Porsche Japan KK and Volkswagen Group Japan KK, as well as redesigning the UI/UX, introducing new features, and further developing software.
The renewed app was made available on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
Background
As part of their goal to position EV as an attractive form of mobility throughout society, PLUGO is committed to expanding the number of charging stations that provide higher value to EV users during use and developing the My PLUGO app that allows users to better integrate EV charging into their lifestyles. In addition to providing the technology and expertise related to these charging services to partner companies, they are actively developing the PLUGO OPEN CHARGE LAB, a cloud solution that supports EV charging businesses.
The PCA, for which PLUGO provided support for the development of the app, is a premium charging service that consists of a network of CHAdeMO fast chargers with outputs ranging from 90 to 150 kW for owners of EV from three EV brands: Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen.
The app, which has been deployed since the launch of the PCA service in 2022, is now being revamped to further enhance the user experience. This revamp is being led by PLUGO, a company that is famous for developing EV charging apps that focus on UI/UX optimization and is well renowned among EV users.
Main improvements made by PLUGO
– Enhanced UI/UX design
The app better matches the PCA brand image and has been given unique features to improve brand identity and operability.
– Improved charging station search performance
The new EV Route Guidance function, which allows users to search for driving routes that include charging stations, as well as the expanded range of search items makes it possible to charge your vehicle in a manner that is better suited to the particular driving situation and your individual needs.
There are also other functional improvements, such as migrating some procedures that previously needed to be done over the phone to the app so that users can configure settings on it in a secure manner, and further service improvements are planned for the future.
From the left: Charging station map, EV Route Guidance search results, app display while charging
PLUGO hopes that this renewal will bring even more convenience to owners of Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen EV.
Overview of the Premium Charging Alliance
The Premium Charging Alliance is a premium charging service that consists of a network of CHAdeMO fast chargers with outputs ranging from 90 to 150 kW. It was developed to service the dealer networks of three EV brands: Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen. The service started in 2022, and as of November 30, 2024, their fast chargers are installed at 365 locations throughout Japan.