The RAC has announced it has joined forces with Zap-Map, the UK’s leading electric vehicle charge point mapping app, in an effort to strengthen its position as the market leader in electric vehicle (EV) breakdown cover. The idea is to make the RAC better placed to help UK electric vehicle drivers who run out of charge.
The Zap-Map app will be distributed to 1,600 RAC patrols through all of their devices, including phones, laptops and van terminals. This will allow them to find the nearest suitable public charging point for RAC members to charge their electric vehicle and back on the road as quickly as possible.
The RAC is already ideally suited to helping members with electric cars because its patrols can provide emergency charging for grounded or severely drained vehicles with RAC’s EV Boost technology without the need for heavy and bulky portable batteries.
The breakdown specialists can also easily move damaged vehicles with the All-Wheels-Up quick recovery system, which gives patrols the ability to tow a flatbed from a standard van.
James Gibson, RAC head of technical, said: “By ensuring all our patrols have Zap-Map on their RAC devices, we’re giving members with EVs extra reassurance that we’re equipped on every level to get them going again, should they ever run out of charge or encounter a faulty charge point.
“While we have the technology to give them an emergency boost, it’s vital we know how far away the nearest suitable charger is so we can give our members enough mobile charge to get them there safely.
“We chose to partner with Zap-Map because it’s without doubt the best app for finding the nearest available public charge points for whichever vehicles our members might be driving. The level of information provided in the app is excellent and we urge every EV driver to download and use it, as it genuinely makes EV driving even simpler.”
Alex Earl, Zap-Map commercial director, said: “We are always keen to explore new ways of working, especially when they help to make the switch to electric as seamless as possible.
“The RAC has so many patrols on the road, and they will increasingly encounter EV drivers who may be in need of their help. We therefore felt it made sense to provide them with easy access to Zap-Map, as it will lead to a better experience for anyone who does run out of charge.
“We will also be looking to get patrols to feedback anything they discover about out-of-order or faulty charge points, ensuring Zap-Map users have access to even more accurate information to search, plan and pay for their electric journeys.”
In January, the RAC became the first major roadside assistance company to add a pure electric vehicle to its breakdown fleet by putting a Renault Zoe Van E-Tech into service. The patrol van will principally be used to attend the RAC’s two most common breakdowns – batteries and tyres, which together account for nearly half of all call-outs.
