Seoul City to Integrate Management of 'Electric Vehicle Fast Chargers'... Will Also Add 'Certification Mark'

Priority Integration of 1,000 Units with City Funding
Future Expansion to Private Sector... Currently 81 Units Certified

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will integrate the management of electric vehicle fast chargers, which have been operated individually by each business operator. It will provide charging station information and real-time charging data, and also unify the reporting channels for malfunctions to address user inconveniences.

On the 10th, the city announced the introduction of the 'Seoul-type Fast Charger Integrated Management System and Certification Program' to enhance the quality of electric vehicle charging services. Certified chargers can be identified through navigation apps starting from that day. To help users easily recognize certified chargers, a brand identity (BI) labeled 'Seoul-type Charger Certification' will also be attached.

A city official explained, "As of October, there are 82,000 electric vehicles and 72,000 chargers in Seoul, recording a high vehicle-to-charger ratio compared to the global average. However, to elevate not only the quantity but also the convenience of service use to a world-class level, we decided to introduce this certification program."

Until now, over 50 charging operators have independently managed electric vehicle fast chargers, leading to issues such as inaccurate information provision, slow response to malfunctions, and insufficient maintenance. Accordingly, the city plans to establish an 'Integrated Fast Charger Management System' to directly manage fast chargers and simplify the process of providing charging station information. Initially, 1,000 chargers funded by the city will be integrated, and the system will be upgraded to expand integrated management to private chargers in the future.

To improve charger performance maintenance and management, Seoul has introduced the nation's first Seoul-type fast charger certification system. The certification evaluates nine detailed items across three areas: ▲charging performance ▲maintenance system ▲communication appropriateness. The certification is valid for two years and is continuously managed through regular and occasional inspections.

An authentication review committee composed of electric vehicle, electrical, and communication experts conducts thorough verification through document review, on-site inspections, and communication tests to make the final certification decision. Since September, the city has been gradually evaluating 697 fast chargers funded by the city. So far, 234 chargers have been evaluated, and 81 have been certified. Chargers that fail the certification evaluation will be encouraged to improve performance and quality. From next year, certification will be expanded to include private chargers.

Certified chargers can be identified on major navigation apps such as ▲KakaoNavi ▲T map ▲KEVIT ▲ElecBerry with the labels 'Seoul-type Fast Charger Certified Station' and 'Seoul-type Certification.'

Yeo Jang-kwon, head of the Seoul Climate and Environment Headquarters, said, "The Seoul-type fast charger certification program will be a starting point that sets new standards for the electric vehicle charging system beyond simple charging station management. Through integrated charger management and certification, we will present a fast, convenient, and safe electric vehicle charging service model."