Road partners with Pluq to drive EV charging innovation

Founded in 2019, Pluq has established itself as a leader in the installation and operation of EV charging infrastructure across private and semi-public locations.

The company has expanded rapidly and operates in six countries: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Austria and Luxembourg, serving more than 550 locations and managing over 2,200 charging stations.

Charging-as-a-Service

Pluq offers charging-as-a-service (CaaS), a unique model where location owners can host EV chargers without any upfront investment. Instead, Pluq handles the purchase, installation, maintenance and management of the stations while sharing net profits with property owners. This hassle-free approach has made them a trusted partner for businesses in hospitality, retail, real estate, healthcare and fleet management.

The need for a scalable platform

As demand for their services grew, Pluq needed a seamless, efficient and scalable charge management system. Pluq had previously worked with Road in 2020 when both companies were in their early stages. However, at that time, the platform lacked certain features, including time-based rates, which were essential for Pluq’s business model. As development progress was slower than expected, Pluq switched to another provider, which came with unexpected setbacks.

They found that extracting critical data such as meter readings, transactions and error messages was cumbersome. The outdated interfaces provided little flexibility, making it feel like they were using software from decades ago. Automating processes, such as creating locations and accounts, proved to be a significant challenge. Pluq needed a more agile, forward-thinking partner that could adapt to their needs.

The decision to partner with Road

Despite moving to a competitor, Pluq recognised that Road’s vision for the EV market aligned more closely with their own. With Road’s platform now offering the features they had originally sought, including advanced API integrations and improved data synchronisation, they decided to reignite the partnership.

“Road’s enthusiasm for having Pluq back was evident from the start. The collaboration quickly proved to be a good match, particularly in terms of technical support and flexibility. With direct communication through an open Slack channel, we found that questions were addressed promptly - a stark contrast to their previous provider, where responses to critical issues could take days or even weeks.”

– Lars Steenhuis, IT Manager at Pluq

One of Pluq’s key priorities was introducing customised pricing structures, such as different rates per charging card provider and the elimination of roaming costs for their own charge cards. Road’s team quickly adapted to these requests, helping Pluq implement a QR-code-based charging solution that allowed users to start a charging session without needing a dedicated app.

Pluq EV chargers powered by Road

Implementing a future-proof solution The partnership between Pluq and Road is built on continuous innovation and collaboration. Road’s approach to implementation is methodical, balancing Pluq’s urgency for progress with a clear, structured development roadmap.

One of the most valuable aspects of the partnership has been the ability to gain greater control over charging station data. With Road’s platform, Pluq can now implement smart charging profiles based on real-time energy prices, optimising charging efficiency for both operators and end users.

Pluq has also seen improvements in network stability and connectivity. With Road the connection between chargers and the back-office system is more reliable, reducing malfunctions and improving overall service quality.

A collaborative approach to innovation

“Pluq and Road’s partnership is a two-way learning experience. When Pluq identified discrepancies in reported energy consumption—where Road’s system recorded significantly fewer kilowatt-hours than Pluq’s internal data—Road immediately investigated the issue. They discovered that simultaneous charging sessions using the same charge card were not being properly accounted for. This insight led to an ongoing system improvement, demonstrating Road’s commitment to refining its platform based on real-world feedback.”

– Lars Steenhuis, IT Manager at Pluq

The migration to Road’s system was handled efficiently, particularly in the Netherlands, where charging stations were transitioned automatically. Looking ahead, Pluq and Road are working on an automated migration process in Germany to streamline future expansions and minimise operational disruptions.

About Pluq

Pluq offers Charging as a Service (CaaS), providing a one stop EV charging solution that covers the purchase, installation, maintenance, and management of charging stations—at no cost to the location owner. Instead, owners share in the net profit without any personal investment. Pluq primarily serves hotels, office buildings, restaurants, amusement parks, shopping centers, healthcare institutions, fleet managers, and real estate portfolio managers. The company has already expanded to 550+ locations with over 2,200 charging stations in operation.

About Road

Road is a key player in developing the essential infrastructure for EV charging transactions across Europe. Its advanced software platform simplifies EV charge management, delivering a 99.99% uptime in transaction processing. With more than 82,000 charge points already connected and a roaming network spanning 700,000+ charge points across Europe, Road continues to drive seamless and scalable EV charging solutions. A unique factor in Road’s success is the platform’s 24/7 support service, and over 400 brand-independent charging station integration.