Stellantis Adds Charger-Hunter App to All Its BEVs in Europe

In a bid to address one of the major stumbling blocks facing consumers thinking of switching to battery-electric vehicles, Stellantis is rolling out a public charger hunting service throughout its brands.

The automaker group says it will give access to the e-Routes mobile application, first tested on its Citroën brand from autumn 2023, to owners of all of its BEV range across the 14 brands.

This system, compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto, claims to connect with real-time vehicle data to ease range anxiety by recommending the best options for vehicle charging stations along any given route.

It claims an advanced routing algorithm which calculates the most suitable route considering the location of the charging stations; their quality, such as quantity and characteristics of the terminals in each station; and availability of charging points including whether in-use or out-of-service.

Additionally, when planning a trip, each suggested charging station will display restaurants, bars and nearby hotels, to give vehicle owners alternatives for using their time while waiting for a full charge. So far, the automaker has not committed to rolling the service out to other markets beyond Europe.

Rodolphe Huet, Stellantis vice president, head of software product for electric-vehicle and navigation services, says: “We are designing tech solutions that enhance the electric driving experience and simplify electric-vehicle management. Leveraging software for a new in-vehicle experience, Stellantis offers the power of connected services to make our customers' life easier, their drive safer and their trip more exciting.”