Charging station sharing pattern revs up in Zhejiang

During the warm spring season, the popularity of rural tourism has surged. To address issues such as inconvenient public charging in remote rural areas, limited parking resources, low utilization rate of private charging stations and the uneven distribution of public charging stations, the State Grid Shaoxing Power Supply Company in Zhejiang province has piloted the "private station sharing" model in Taozhu Street, Zhuji city.

To enable one-stop services for scanning, charging and settlement, the company installed a sharing module on private charging stations. The move not only avoids underutilization of equipment, but also allows clients to generate income through reasonable service fees. It saves time and energy costs, achieving a win-win situation.

According to statistics, as of the end of March, there were more than 40,000 new energy vehicles in Zhuji city, with the majority concentrated in urban areas and townships. The number of NEVs in rural areas is relatively low, leading to decreasing investment and construction of public NEV charging stations in those areas. Private charging stations typically charge two to three times a week, with equipment idle 70 percent of the time.

After conducting comprehensive big data surveys, the State Grid Shaoxing Power Supply Company decided to promote the "private station sharing" model. This model displays the charging information on the driver's cellphone and provides real-time information on sharing process, charging progress, electricity consumption and costs. Through remote functions, vehicle owners can also monitor the charging status in real-time. The model also supports functions such as family payments, navigation positioning, self-stop when fully charged, overload protection, refunds and more.

"Shared charging stations are very convenient. When traveling, there is no need to worry about being unable to charge, which relaxes my mind," said a resident surnamed Guo, while using the shared charging station in a local villager's home on April 10.

In a bid to gradually expand its coverage, the State Grid Shaoxing Power Supply Company will collaborate with relevant government departments to further explore the private station sharing model. The company plans to promote this service model in more remote mountainous areas, making the charging stations smarter, more convenient and beneficial to the people.