Emobi and HeyCharge have announced a partnership enabling offline EV chargers to be retrofitted and connected to the Emobi ecosystem. The collaboration pairs HeyCharge’s hardware platform with Emobi’s roaming hub, which provides unified access to more than 140,000 chargers across 26+ networks in the United States and Canada through a single API.
Highlights
- Retrofit solution brings legacy offline chargers into Emobi’s roaming network and JustPlug infrastructure
- HeyCharge technology provides local communication without internet dependency, reducing installation complexity and operating costs
- Emobi integration enables retrofitted chargers to support accurate session tracking, energy-based billing, and real-time availability
- JustPlug compatibility allows automatic authentication without apps, cards, or hardware upgrades
Addressing Connectivity Challenges
Many EV chargers across North America experience poor connectivity, particularly in underground garages and dense urban buildings. This results in higher operating costs, inconsistent fleet access, and frequent authentication failures.
HeyCharge provides reliable local communication that does not depend on the internet. This allows chargers to operate consistently in low-connectivity environments. Emobi’s roaming hub addresses network fragmentation by unifying access across multiple charging providers.
Retrofit Technology Benefits
HeyCharge’s retrofit technology delivers several operational advantages:
- Instant local communication without internet reliance
- Reduced installation time and elimination of specialized labor requirements
- Lower deployment and operating costs for site operators
- Scalable charging deployment in previously difficult or expensive locations
Once retrofitted, chargers connect to Emobi’s roaming network. They become discoverable across automaker interfaces, fleet platforms, and consumer charging apps.
Operator and Driver Advantages
For property managers, fleets, and operators, the combined solution reduces installation complexity and ensures high reliability in low-connectivity environments. Operators gain access to standardized authentication, settlement, and data exchange across the Emobi ecosystem.
For EV drivers, the retrofit adds capabilities that offline chargers typically lack. These include accurate session tracking, energy-based billing, and real-time availability information.
Executive Perspectives
“This partnership addresses one of the most persistent challenges in EV charging: unreliable or offline chargers that were never designed for modern connectivity,” said Lin Sun Fa, CEO of Emobi. “By pairing HeyCharge’s retrofit technology with Emobi’s interoperability layer and JustPlug capabilities, we’re giving operators a practical path to bring underperforming chargers online.”
“Charging needs to be secured and work everywhere, not only where the internet is strong,” said Chris Carde, CEO of HeyCharge. “Our patented single-use security tokens and suite of technology enables chargers to operate with confidence.”
Company Backgrounds
Emobi enables seamless EV charging across networks, providing unified infrastructure for app makers, fleets, and automakers. The company holds two provisional patents and serves over 40 enterprise customers. Emobi is trusted by the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation. More information is available at www.emobi.ai.
HeyCharge, a Y Combinator company backed by BMW i Ventures, delivers secured smart connected EV charging solutions. The company enables charging operators and site hosts to deploy with improved reliability, reduced installation complexity, and lower operating costs. More information is available at https://www.heycharge.com.
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