Electric vehicle charging provider Emobi has successfully closed a $3.4 million seed funding round, with Florida Funders leading the investment. The company plans to leverage this capital to significantly expand its proprietary seamless EV charging solution, known as JustPlug.
Addressing the EV Charging Inconvenience
EV drivers have long sought a charging experience as straightforward as that offered by Tesla. The emerging ISO 15118 standard, which includes the Plug & Charge feature, promises to automate authentication and payment processes, allowing drivers to simply connect their vehicles and depart without manual intervention. However, challenges remain, as not all EV models currently support this functionality, and industry experts indicate that widespread adoption requires substantial development.
JustPlug: Bridging the Gap in EV Charging Compatibility
Emobi highlights a significant hurdle: “The majority of existing chargers and vehicles lack the necessary hardware and firmware to support traditional Plug & Charge functionality, leaving about 80% of chargers and vehicles unable to adopt this capability. JustPlug removes this long-standing barrier by extending Plug & Charge functionality across both modern and legacy infrastructure.”
The company’s JustPlug system is designed to enable secure, automatic EV charging without the need for specialized hardware, software, or complex setup procedures. It achieves this by utilizing ISO 15118 digital certificate infrastructure for cloud-based authentication.
Strategic Partnerships and Future Expansion
Emobi intends to introduce its JustPlug system through strategic collaborations with automakers, fleet operators, and charging infrastructure providers. The company is currently engaged in pilot programs with three of the top ten EV manufacturers in North America. Furthermore, Emobi has established partnerships with infrastructure companies including Flipturn, ElectricFish, and Curo.
“For over a decade, the EV industry has promised seamless charging but drivers are still fumbling with apps, RFID cards and closed ecosystems,” stated Lin Sun Fa, CEO of Emobi. “We’re not waiting for another round of network upgrades or regulatory alignment—JustPlug breaks that stalemate.”