The Department for Transport (DfT) has taken a step towards widening the availability of open data on electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.
It has begun a procurement process for support in the alpha phase of the programme, prototyping and testing solutions for different user needs.
The prime focus is to ensure that EV drivers can find the right chargepoints and to support local authorities in their roll out, but the DfT has indicated it is also keep to build out to other use cases.
It is expecting to take an iterative approach, using research with current and future EV drivers and the industry to identify what further data needs to be made available.
“We want to test all options for open data, we are solution agnostic and want to ensure we achieve the right outcomes for the consumer, local authorities and innovators. Solutions could include a centralised service, decentralised service or a competitive procurement of services through existing industry led solutions,” the market notice says.
“We expect alpha to test one or more of these before we enter our beta phase.”
Supporting innovators
It adds that the data discovery confirmed the need for a solution to open EV data to support innovators, councils, government and enforcement teams it policy decisions. It should help energy, transport and utilities companies using the data in balancing the energy system, and drivers of EV vehicles.
When launching the process last July the DfT also pointed to a desire to support app developers and data aggregators in developing services.
https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/dft-explores-open-data-options-for-ev-chargepoints/
