US-based Car Charging Group has launched a beta version of its mobile application to enable electric vehicle (EV) drivers to initiate and pay for charging sessions on hardware by multiple manufacturers, directly from their smart phone.

Car Charging Group offers public electric vehicle charging services that enables EV drivers to easily recharge at locations throughout the US.

The new app provides drivers with the ability to locate public Blink, GE, SemaCharge and ChargePoint EV charging stations.

Users will also be able to pay for EV charging sessions at GE WattStations and SemaCharge stations, which are owned and operated by CarCharging.

"This is the first truly interoperable mobile app that allows the activation and payment of EV charging stations provided by multiple manufacturers."

Future releases of the CarCharging app will expand further, allowing drivers to initiate and pay for all public Blink, GE and Sema charging stations, according to the company.

CarCharging chief executive officer Michael D Farkas said that CarCharging is continuously looking for opportunities to enhance its offerings, and this is the first truly interoperable mobile app that allows the activation and payment of EV charging stations provided by multiple manufacturers.

"Instead of having to use various mobile applications and RFID cards to locate, access and pay for their EV charging services, as they do now, drivers will have one app to service these needs," Farkas said.

For the new app, Car Charging Group partnered with mobile commerce provider DoubleBeam.

CarCharging’s mobile app utilises DoubleBeam’s white-labeled mobile wallet service that allows customers to pay for EV charging services via electronic check, debit from their bank account, or by credit card, to streamline the payment process.

The beta version release of CarCharging’s mobile application is currently available for iOS devices and the Android version will follow shortly.

CarCharging also plans to provide its partner companies with the ability to integrate this functionality into their own websites and mobile applications.