Octopus Charge aggregates 210,000 US chargers into a single app, excluding Tesla, Ionna, and Electrify America.

      Octopus Energy has introduced Octopus Charge in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, aggregating over 210,000 chargers from more than 20 networks without any markup on energy prices. Its European counterpart encompasses 1.5 million chargers across over 40 nations.

      A British energy firm has centralized more than 210,000 chargers in North America under a single login. The new Octopus Charge app from Octopus Energy services the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, providing a unified payment method for every network it encompasses.

      The commercial advantage is that it incurs no additional costs. Octopus states that it passes through each operator's per-kWh rate unchanged, meaning that a station charging $0.50 will also appear as $0.50 in the app.

      A notable statistic comes from Europe. Octopus Electroverse, the original launched in 2020, connects approximately 1.5 million chargers across over 1,500 networks in more than 40 countries.

      In contrast, the American version has roughly two dozen networks. This disparity is not a flaw in technology, but rather reflects two different markets, with one having resolved charging confusion through regulation.

      In Europe, access is mandated by law instead of being a commercial favor. According to EU regulations effective April 2024, new public charging stations must accept card or contactless payments, and prices must be clearly displayed before charging starts.

      There are no similar regulations in North America, allowing the largest operators to opt out. Notably, Tesla Superchargers, Ionna, and Electrify America are absent from the app, which are essential for an American road trip.

      However, what is included is still significant. Octopus lists over 20 partners, including EVgo, ChargePoint, Blink, bp pulse, Shell Recharge, FLO, and Circle K.

      Automakers are pursuing a similar strategy but with a more limited scope. General Motors aggregates networks within its own brand applications, but only for General Motors vehicles, whereas Octopus Charge is compatible with all electric vehicles.

      The company emphasizes this as a way to reduce friction rather than building the market. According to Sebastian Blake, head of product at Octopus Energy US, the goal is to enable drivers to "spend less time managing charging and more time enjoying the drive."

      Meanwhile, Europe is consolidating from the opposite direction. Electroverse registered its millionth driver in July, and smaller operators continue to secure funding to expand European networks that connect to the same roaming infrastructure.

      This comparison is worth remembering the next time European charging systems are criticized. A driver in Rotterdam needs only one app and a bank card, while a driver in Texas still requires multiple solutions.