⚡Apple Maps launches direct charging payments in 🇪🇺

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Here’s what we have for you today:

• Apple Maps with EV Charging Payment Link 🖇️

• 3 Links 🔗

• Meme of the week 🤡

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Apple Maps with EV Charging Payment Link 🔗

Apple Maps is taking an interesting step forward in simplifying EV charging: In a new integration with German data provider Cirrantic, Apple has begun rolling out a “Charging Wallet” feature that lets users start and pay for EV charging sessions directly from the Maps app—eliminating the need to switch apps or sign up for new accounts.

Cirrantic’s Charging Wallet consolidates all available payment options at a given station, including the operator’s pay-as-you-go rate, roaming partner prices, and user-specific subscriptions or discounts. It dynamically displays these tariffs within Apple Maps, helping drivers easily identify and select the most cost-effective charging option nearby.

By embedding the Charging Wallet directly into Apple Maps, Apple and Cirrantic aim to provide a seamless, app-free charging experience.

At launch, the Charging Wallet will support stations operated by Citywatt, Jolt Energy, DA emobil, and Illwerke VKW across Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

3 Links 🔗

• Hilton Says EV Chargers Are Top Booking Driver 📈: Electric vehicle charging stations are now Hilton.com’s highest-converting amenity, performing better than amenities like pools, restaurants, or free breakfast. Hilton also plans to install up to 20,000 Tesla destination chargers across North America, creating the hotel industry’s largest overnight charging network. (Link)

• eTruck Charging is heating up 🔥: Aral Pulse (a German subsidiary of BP) has announced that, from 1 September, its eTruck charging stations will no longer be displayed and accessible via the Aral Pulse app for passenger car charging. As of today, Aral operates 25 hybrid locations where there is a mix of charging stations for eTrucks and BEVs. (Link in DE)

• China EV’s now available D2C in Europe🚢: You’re familiar with Aliexpress and Temu - but have you ever heard of “China EV Marketplace”? This online portal is selling Chinese EV’s direct to consumers in Europe, including tarriff processing, homologation service, GB/T to CCS2 charging adapter and direct-to-home delivery. The offerings even include Chinese EV’s that don’t have EU sales reps of their own yet, like the Xiaomi SU7. (Link to Source, Link to Marketplace)

Most-clicked link last post: Was the video about Ford’s new Digital Experience:

Charging Station of the Week 🔌 

As I (Julius) am currently travelling through some US national parks, I have been keeping an eye out for innovations in EV charging. The electric bus shuttle at Zion National Park caught my attention.

• 📍 Close to the Zion National Park Visitor Center (link)

• 🔌 14 × 2 125 kW bidirectional charger from Rhombus Energy Solutions

• 🚌 full electric fleet of 30 busses (link to an article of NPS)

I spoke to two bus operators who told me that they can complete around ten round trips per charger and mostly recharge the vehicles during the night. Unfortunately, they weren't able to tell me whether the chargers' bidirectional charging capabilities are utilised.

Meme of the Week 🤡

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That's a wrap for this week! Let us know how you feel and leave some feedback (We read every single one of these 🙂 ):

Reader Review of the Week ✍️

Selected ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️Freakin’ awesome on ⚡ Ford Midsize EV platform launches with $30k electric Pickup 🛻 and wrote:

“Electric Avenue is for my sanity check on the charging industry every week. I dig around a lot in the corners of the industry, but it's your insights that I come for here to put it all into context and make sure I didn't miss anything. Keep going!”

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial or tax advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. The Electric Avenue team may hold investments in or may otherwise be affiliated with the companies discussed.