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EVgo Inc., one of the nation’s largest public fast charging networks for electric vehicles (EVs), announced the debut of an Alexa-enabled EV charging experience with Amazon. Drivers with Alexa-enabled vehicles as well as automotive accessories like Echo Auto can now ask Alexa to help them find and navigate to nearby EV charging stations. This announcement follows the company’s previous news of supporting Amazon’s voice-initiated EV driver experience during CES 2023, building on EVgo’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class customer experience.
Leveraging PlugShare™, the world’s leading EV community and a part of the EVgo family, the hassle-free experience allows drivers to access PlugShare’s comprehensive public EV charging repository to locate nearby stations. With the PlugShare API, the integration creates a seamless charging experience for Alexa-enabled EVs, including the Nissan ARIYA, Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning. Through a simple voice request such as, ‘Alexa, find EV charging stations near me’, customers can easily locate and drive to the nearest charging station, whether on a weekend road trip or during routine errands in the neighborhood. Alexa provides a list of nearby public charging stations, with real time availability by plug type and charging speed, as well as the time and distance to arrival, eliminating the need to manually stop and search for available stations.
“The customer experience begins well before a driver arrives at a station. Enabling voice-initiated, hands-free navigation to charging stations enhances the customer experience, providing peace of mind for EV drivers on the go,” said Ivo Steklac, Chief Technology Officer at EVgo. “As Amazon’s first charging network for Alexa, we’re thrilled to provide simplified charging experiences for customers with Alexa. It is yet another example of EVgo’s leadership in the development of customer-centric charging technologies.”
“Alexa is a natural way for people to interact with their vehicles, helping them do an array of tasks while they are on the go,” said Anes Hodži?, Vice President of Amazon Smart Vehicles. “This collaboration with EVgo to make the process of finding an EV charging station through Alexa is the latest example of how voice and multi-modal experiences can make life more convenient and we're excited for customers to be able to try this for themselves.”
In addition to partnering on innovative technology solutions, EVgo recently collaborated with Audible, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary, to offer a joint promotion for a 2-month free trial of Audible Premium Plus for EVgo customers and PlugShare users. By leveraging both collaborations, drivers can take advantage of the best-available audio storytelling entertainment after navigating to a charging station with help from Alexa.
