A free online tool that can help identify high demand for public EV charging demand and the ability to accommodate it is now available.

The ConnectMore Interactive Map can help identify the optimum locations for EV charge point installation and inform roll-out strategy

Launched this week at the Cenex-LCV2021 conference and exhibition, the ConnectMore Interactive Map (CIM) is aimed at users such as local councils, site owners, property developers and charge point operators, and could be a game changer for public charge point installation.

It’s been developed as part of the Charge Project; an initiative from SP Energy Networks and its partners EA Technology, PTV Group and Smarter Grid Solutions to accelerate the roll-out of public EV charging infrastructure across Cheshire, Merseyside, North Shropshire, and North and Mid-Wales.

Geoff Murphy, lead for the Charge Project at SP Energy Networks, explained: “In the past, both local authorities and businesses have been put off from investing in EV charging because establishing expected demand and the feasibility of installations has often been too time-consuming and complex. The CIM could change that forever by quickly delivering the hard evidence that’s needed to get charge point projects off the ground.”

It’s part of the larger ConnectMore toolset currently being developed by the Charge Project that will help businesses and local authorities to identify suitable sites for new charge points and estimate the cost of connecting them to the network.

The CIM works by evaluating both the potential demand by area for public EV charging and the likely ease of the connection onto the existing electrical network in that area. This data is then integrated on an interactive map, helping to identify the optimum locations for EV charge point installation and inform roll-out strategy.

The CIM can switch between four future scenarios, based on differing assumptions about EV uptake and charge point availability and displayed in five-year increments from 2025 to 2050.

Dave A Roberts, commercial director at EA Technology, added: “While everybody agrees that charging must be available for all, the roll-out of public charge points remains slow. The CIM will assist the decision-making process for new installations by answering questions on expected uptake, number of charge points needed, and the type which would work best. The data it provides is a forecast rather than a guaranteed outcome, but it will still significantly enhance the business case for charge point installations.”