ChargePoint, an online electric vehicle (EV) charging stations network, and ECOtality, a storage technologies company, have formed a new venture, Collaboratev, in a bid to make EV charging more accessible in the US.

As part of the new venture, Collaboratev will enable interoperability of EV charging networks, exchange session data and allow financial billing reconciliation services.

This new venture will allow other charging network providers to join as affiliates and enable EV drivers across the country to charge their vehicles among all associated charging networks.

ChargePoint and ECOtality will link the networks to Collaboratev in late 2013.

ChargePoint president and CEO Pat Romano said that Collaboratev will give EV drivers access to all stations, locations, availability and mapping features in the public domain.

"Collaboratev will enable interoperability of EV charging networks, exchange session data and allow financial billing reconciliation services."

ECOtality CEO Ravi Brar said that the latest venture is a clear sign of market maturation by establishing a seamless process for EV drivers to charge across networks.

"We are fostering an open ecosystem and invite others to join us in making it easy for EV drivers nationwide to get the charge they need whenever and wherever they are," Brar added.

Collaboratev aims to provide EV drivers with easy access to participating charging stations using common authentication credentials.

In addition to enabling one bill for all charging usage, the company will accurately provide aggregated EV charging station location data, using open national interoperability standards.

ChargePoint, which operates in 14 countries, offers mobile phone applications that provide an easy way to locate stations near any specified address, get turn-by-turn directions, start and stop a charging session directly from a smart phone.