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Octopus Energy and AeroVolt enable electric plane pilots to charge by ‘tap ‘n’ take off’

March 13, 2024

Octopus Energy and AeroVolt, an aircraft charging network, have partnered to facilitate easy charging for electric planes.

Electric plane pilots will be able to use Octopus Electroverse, an electric vehicle (EV) charging platform, with AeroVolt’s airside chargers across the UK, with ‘tap ‘n’ take off’ function.

Electric planes, typically small two-seater planes that do short flights, have been found to have a lower climate impact compared to their fossil fuel-powered counterparts. AeroVolt has charge points installed at seven sites in the UK, including at Bournemouth, Lydd, Dunkeswell, and Shoreham airports, with 12 more to come online soon. The company is also in discussions with nearly 70 more airports about installing chargers.

Octopus Electroverse, the largest EV roaming service in the UK, has simplified on-the-go charging for electric car drivers by eliminating the need for multiple apps to access different charge point brands. Its ‘one card, one app’ model will now be available to pilots of electric planes. Octopus customers who are pilots can also consolidate their public charging costs onto their existing home energy bill, in one simple payment.

Octopus Energy’s Octopus Electric Vehicles division is the UK’s largest EV-only leasing business. The company manages 1GW of shiftable load through its Intelligent Octopus Go tariff, using the company’s tech platform Kraken to charge EVs when it’s cheapest and greenest. Earlier this month, the company launched the UK’s first mass market vehicle-to-grid tariff – Octopus Power Pack – enabling free home charging for drivers.

Zoisa North-Bond, Octopus Energy for Business CEO, said: “Octopus is at the forefront of the transition to green transport. It’s incredible to think our skies are cleaner with each new electric plane, and we’re thrilled to make the journey easier for pilots, extending our seamless charging experience for electric cars to electric aircrafts. With just a tap of their Electroverse card, pilots can plug in and power up. This is the start of an exciting transition as we’re set to supercharge the take-off of e-mobility.”

Guy Haydon, Chief Commercial Officer at AeroVolt, said: “As the world’s first aircraft charging network, AeroVolt is on a mission to transform the future of flight with our simple and easy to use network of rapid chargers across prime airfield locations. This exciting partnership with Octopus will both bring AeroVolt’s car chargers into the Electroverse and deliver a market leading aircraft charging experience to electric pilots. True interoperability, charging both your wheels and your wings.”