The Stellantis Group aims to sell 100% electric cars in Europe from 2030, ahead of the European Union's 5-year commitment. In order to facilitate the transition, the Group is therefore preparing a major product plan for electric vehicles, but it also needs to dispel doubts about the use of these engines, particularly in terms of autonomy and recharging. This is the whole point of Free2Move Charge, which aims to facilitate the use of electric cars by guaranteeing their owners a charging solution adapted to their needs in all circumstances.
This is why Stellantis is launching Free2move Charge, a complete ecosystem of charging and energy management solutions designed to meet the needs of electric vehicle drivers everywhere and in all circumstances. As part of Stellantis' new Charging & Energy business unit, Free2move Charge will offer solutions adapted to the different uses of BEVs, whether at home, at work or on the move.
Ricardo Stamatti, Senior Vice President, Charging & Energy Business Unit, Stellantis, said: "Electric vehicles are becoming mainstream and our role is to go beyond mobility solutions. We are preparing for our customers' future by creating a dedicated business unit that supports our ambitious electrification strategy and is a natural extension of our iconic brands. Free2move Charge perfectly illustrates our goal: to enable everyone to move freely with ease, thanks to an ecosystem of electrified, sustainable, efficient and affordable solutions. "
e-ABC promise: always easy to charge
In addition to the guarantee of a battery that is always easy to charge (e-ABC promise), Free2move Charge also offers an intelligent charging solution. Based on an analysis of user needs, all energy management is optimised to improve efficiency, reliability and charging. The key is to reduce the total cost of ownership and enhance the environmental benefits of electric vehicles.
A Free2move e-Genius team will help customers create a bespoke package that they can modify, adapt and evolve at any time according to their needs. e-Genius support will be available initially in Europe.
By assisting customers with their charging needs, Free2move Charge will help consumers make the transition to the electric world and contribute to the goals of Stellantis' Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan: to achieve 100% battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales for passenger cars in Europe and 50% BEV sales for cars and pickups in the US by 2030.
Free2move Charge: an offer based on three pillars
Free2move Charge Home helps private customers to install, finance and guarantee home charging systems, as well as other energy-related services and materials. Options range from AC charging stations and cables, to Vehicle-2-Home and Vehicle-2-Grid technologies, to complete energy management systems with state-of-the-art functionality - wireless solutions and contactless inductive charging robots under development.
Free2move Charge Business simplifies charging through a unique and comprehensive platform of charging and energy management services: start-up assistance, estimation of initial and future operating costs, appropriate sizing of charging infrastructure, installation, maintenance and access to public charging stations on the move.
Free2move Charge GO provides access to the largest existing network of public charging stations through partners in North America, Europe and other regions to be announced. In addition to access, payment and 24/7 support, Free2move Charge Go will progressively introduce a range of leading edge services such as Plug & Charge technology, reservation services, loyalty programmes, subscriptions, pre-paid packages, single billing and even the ability to charge your vehicle on demand at a specific location.
Thanks to the Stellantis Energy Cloud, Free2move Charge will seamlessly integrate with existing multibrand mobile applications and the STLA SmartCockpit software platform, which will be launched in early 2024. In particular, drivers will be offered route or trip recommendations based on usage and real needs to recharge their vehicle. To best support Stellantis customers and offer them a fully personalised solution, Free2move Charge will take into account their individual needs through a customised onboarding process. Through the use of artificial intelligence learning, it will also continuously improve its knowledge to provide the most convenient charging experience possible.
Free2move eSolutions, a Stellantis technology company, will continue to provide industry-leading charging hardware and software to support the Free2move Charge ecosystem and third-party customers, and will work with other industry leaders to further commercialise electric vehicle charging solutions.
In conclusion, with Free2Move Charge, Stellantis is putting together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that will ensure the optimal use of electric cars, thereby ensuring their acceptance by customers and thus maintaining or even increasing the Group's market share in the coming years as sales of electric cars increase and competition, particularly from China, becomes more threatening.