The test candidates we selected are among the top operators with the highest number of charging points as well as three of the most popular e-mobility service providers. The test drives took place between April 28 and May 2, 2020, with alternating teams and two of the currently most attractive electric cars: the Mercedes EQC 400 and the Porsche Taycan 4S.
The routes involved eight charging stops per test drive, distributed in such a way that three charging procedures were evaluated for each tested charge point operator. During the charging stops, both charging possibilities were evaluated: ad hoc charging, i.e. charging without using one of the e-mobility service providers‘ apps, and also charging with advance planning and where necessary, registration via the apps included.
Result: Two, out of the three evaluated e-mobility service providers received the grade "good". EnBW (Mobility+) scored first place with the best package of charging app and tariff, also, the app from Maingau (EinfachStromLaden) left little to be desired with a score of 782. The third provider, Telekom (GetCharge), received the grade "satisfactory" and is just slightly behind, with 685 points. Though the provider offered access to the highest number of charging points in the test, it showed potential for improvement in some of the details.
The evaluation of the six charge point operators showed a bigger difference: Ionity is in first place, followed by EnBW, each with the grade "good". Among the other three operators, two received the grade "satisfactory" and one "sufficient".
Our conclusion: Overall, there is still room for improvement, both for the test winners and also for all other providers. Together with connect, we already plan to further test and evaluate the charging infrastructure.
Hakan Ekmen, CEO Telecommunication at umlaut, says: "Together with our long-standing partner WEKA Media Publishing, we are perfectly positioned to evaluate exciting future topics. Measuring and evaluating e-mobility service provider and charge point operator is one such topic. It provides the key to customer experience - and that in turn is decisive for market success."
Dirk Waasen, publishing director WEKA Media Publishing GmbH, affirms: "Thanks to umlaut's broad expertise and our common understanding of quality, we can develop further formats together - from evaluating electromobility or vehicle security through to digital infrastructure. Thus, we can always offer profound analyses and results to our readers."
Marc-Oliver Bender, editor-in-chief connect, agrees: "connect is the magazine that tests networks. Given the German government's goal of having a total of one million charging points available by 2030, we now also focus on the important topic of charging infrastructure. Testing it for consumers, we rely on our many years of successful cooperation with umlaut, again. Also, we aim at educating about electromobility - since the days of the electric cars’ first generation with short ranges and limited charging options are long gone.”
Please find the English and German article below.
