This file photo taken Dec. 25, 2022, shows electric vehicles at a charging station in Gangnam, southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 25 (Korea Bizwire) — As electric vehicles continue to gain popularity, the importance of accessible and efficient charging infrastructure has become increasingly apparent.
In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced plans to assign AoT (Address of Things) to charging stations, simplifying the process of locating them for EV drivers.
Previously, the most environmentally-friendly car options were liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered vehicles, but their lack of popularity was due in part to drivers struggling to find refueling options.
With the growing number of charging stations, however, the key to promoting electric vehicle use lies in the ease of access to charging infrastructure.
The city has enlisted the services of T-Map, a mobility company, along with charging platform provider TBU (Elecvery), and charging companies Chargev, Everon, Daeyoung Chaevi, SK Electlink, GS Connect, Easy Charger, Pumpkin, EVSIS, and Home & Service to aid in the implementation of the new charging station addresses.
Starting in August, 200 outdoor quick chargers will be assigned addresses, allowing for easy location through road assistant apps (T-Map) and charging platforms (TBU and Elecvery).
Eventually, all quick chargers in Seoul will be assigned AoT.
Phase one will cover 200 street lamp and outdoor quick chargers, with the second phase expanding to 1,000 outdoor and roadside chargers by December. Phase three will cover 1,800 in-building chargers by June of next year.
To ensure the accuracy of the address, the city has developed “Electric Vehicle Charging Location Information Standards,” following the road name address notation method.
Detailed locations will be included, considering the majority of chargers are installed within buildings.
Seoul’s charging stations operated by the city have already been equipped with object address boards, with roadsides featuring solar LED address boards for high visibility at night.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
