chargedrive.com

What It Is

Fortum Charge & Drive is an electric vehicle charging aggregation service under the Nordic energy company Fortum, positioned as an e-Mobility Service Provider (eMSP). It is not merely a single charging station operator; instead, through its app and RFID charging key, it connects multiple charging operators—including Recharge, MER, Tesla, Vattenfall InCharge, Kople, Ionity, Virta, Uno-X, and E.ON—into one access point, focusing on a one-stop public charging experience across the Nordic region.

Core Features

Its core offering is access to around 50,000 Nordic charging points via “one app + one charging key.” Users can view nearby charging stations, real-time availability, and prices on the map, start and monitor charging sessions, and check charging history. The new route planner is a highlight: users can enter their vehicle model, current battery level, desired battery level upon arrival, and destination. The system then factors in around 15 variables, including weather, road conditions, and traffic, to estimate energy consumption, recommend charging stations, and suggest stop durations—addressing the shortcomings of Google/Apple Maps when it comes to EV charging planning.

Pricing

The page does not disclose a complete unified price list, instead emphasizing that real-time prices can be viewed in the app. Some of its discounts are tied to Fortum home electricity contracts. For example, Smart Charging can optimize home charging for low-price periods and provide a certain electricity bill rebate; it also offers a 20% discount on Charge & Drive fast charging, while Tesla charging receives a fixed per-kWh discount. Actual costs are expected to vary significantly depending on country, operator, charger type, and subscription plan.

Pros and Cons

The advantages are broad Nordic coverage, aggregation of multiple CPOs, and reduced hassle from switching between different operators’ apps, registrations, and payment systems. Its route planning is also better suited to long-distance EV travel, and being backed by Fortum gives it strong credibility in the energy sector. The downsides are that it is highly regional and mainly serves Nordic users; pricing transparency depends on what is shown inside the app; actual charging reliability is still affected by third-party site maintenance, queues, faults, and other factors; and some discounts require a Fortum electricity contract.

Who It’s For

It is best suited to EV owners in Nordic countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Finland, especially users who frequently charge across cities and multiple operators. It also offers practical value for corporate fleets, commuters, and holiday road-trippers. If you only drive in China or Asia, there is essentially no real use case.

Access from China

The website is likely accessible directly, but the app, location services, payment, and charging network are all aimed at the Nordic market. Even if Chinese users can access the website, they will find it difficult to obtain local charging services. It is more useful as a reference for self-driving trips in the Nordics or for researching overseas EV charging ecosystems.