Zap-Map brings two peer-to-peer EV charging networks to the UK
It's an interesting way for homeowners and businesses to offset the costs of EV charger installation.
If you could make a bit of money by letting random EV users plug in to your home charger, would you?
That's the whole idea behind Zap-Map, which launched two new peer-to-peer EV charging networks in the United Kingdom. The basic idea behind it is pretty straightforward -- you can lend your EV charger to a stranger so they can charge their electric car, and you get paid for it. It's like Airbnb, but for EV chargers.
Zap-Map is split into two separate networks. Zap-Home is for home chargers, while Zap-Work is for businesses with chargers. It can help homeowners and businesses offset the cost of charger installations, which isn't terribly pricey but can still cost hundreds of dollars per charger, especially if you have to route new wiring for 'em.
Zap-Home doesn't handle the booking itself. Rather, it gives registered users the contact information for the homeowner, and the two parties can work out a time to charge between themselves.
It's not the first company to attempt something like this. Last year, Chargie launched with a similar scheme, but with a more centralized booking process and set rates. With plug-in and EV markets slowly growing in size, it'll be harder to find an open charger when you need one, so opening up personal chargers for use makes a good bit of sense.
