[The Hwankyung Ilbo] The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Jung-ae) signed a business agreement with South Korea's leading platform companies T-Map Mobility and Kakao Mobility on July 29 to make it easier and more convenient for electric vehicle users to use chargers.

The signing ceremony was attended by Vice Environment Minister Hong Jeong-ki and representatives of T-Map Mobility and Kakao Mobility, and was held as an untact video to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The business agreement was pushed forward with the common goal of the public and private sectors to improve the quality of charging services for electric vehicles by establishing a system for opening public data and using private information (IT) technology. 

First of all, the Ministry of Environment, the Korea Environment Corporation, and the Korea Automotive and Environment Association safely share public data managed by integrated low-pollution vehicles with the private sector.

T-Map Mobility and Kakao Mobility combine shared information with their own service platforms (navigation, mobile apps, etc.) to enhance the convenience of charging facilities for electric vehicle users.

Starting from the end of August, Tmap and Kakao T will provide convenient services such as "Charger optimal path discovery and reservation service" and "Real-time notification of usage history" within this year. 

In addition, the two companies will provide optimal charging facility location information through big data analysis and continue to promote charging facility-related services such as predicting charger failure through usage pattern analysis.

The payment method will be diversified from the current payment method through credit card and membership card to QR Pay and Plug & Charge (PnC) from early next year, and smart payment services such as integrated payment of parking lot and charging station fees will be expanded.

In order to expand shared data needed for service development, the Ministry of Environment is planning to expand areas of joint use (roaming) with charging businesses (currently roaming with 23 companies) and improve integrated low-pollution vehicle nurizip to manage charging information. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment will pay points through the Ministry of Environment's membership card from August 2 to enhance the benefits of electric vehicle users.

100,000 points will be paid to "next-higher class and small businessmen" by the end of the year, and 1,000 points will be paid for the initial failure report of the charger.

In the case of the failure report point system, the results will be evaluated after a three-month trial operation to determine whether or not it will be operated continuously.

Details on the payment of points can be found at the Integrated Nuri House of low-pollution vehicles.

Hong Jung-ki, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Environment stated, "This agreement is expected to improve many parts of the charging facility operating system by combining private companies' service platforms and information (IT) technology with public charging services. If electric vehicle charging facilities are used more easily and conveniently with mobile phones, there will be synergy effects."