Beep completes its seed round and launches Southeast Asia’s largest eRoaming network

• Funds to boost connectivity, expand roaming network in SEA
• Launched Voltality eMobility platform in 2021 for seamless charging

Beep has announced the launch of Southeast Asia's largest electric vehicle roaming (eRoaming) network, spanning over 1350 charge points in Singapore, in collaboration with eleven operators. The pilot was launched in June 2022 with five operators.  Alongside the launch, Beep has also completed its seed round, with GGV Capital and Wing Vasiksiri as lead investors. The round saw additional participation from NUS Technology Holdings (a fully owned subsidiary of NUS), SUTD Venture Holdings, XA Network, and other prominent angel investors. 

Kristoffer Jacek Soh (pic), co-founder & CEO of Beep said Southeast Asia is experiencing a key inflection point in its journey towards a fully electric future, with Singapore playing a leading role due to its relative maturity and charging network density. 

“We firmly believe that for mass adoption to successfully pick up, charging connectivity must be seamless, interoperable and collaborative. Today marks another step in our mission to build a truly accessible network for the ecosystem. We deeply appreciate the strong and continued support from both industry players and renowned investment partners to join us on this exciting journey together,” he added.

The funds will be allocated towards enhancing technical connectivity and roll out the largest roaming network in Southeast Asia, amidst expansion plans into Malaysia, Thailand, and beyond. 

Beep's collaboration for the expanded network includes Singapore's top three operators: SP Group, ComfortDelGro ENGIE (CDG ENGIE), and Charge+. Strategic providers like QuickCharge, MNL Solutions, and Go by City Energy are also part of this initiative.

Since its establishment in 2018, Beep's mission has centered on revolutionising the conventional vending machine industry by enabling cashless transactions through its innovative IoT platform. During the pandemic, Beep collaborated with the Singapore government to facilitate nationwide distributions. In 2021, the startup introduced Voltality, an eMobility platform focused on delivering seamless charging experiences for businesses and drivers.

Goh Chee Kiong, CEO of Charge+, stated that the company has emerged as a prominent EV charging player in Singapore and SEA. He highlighted the company's ongoing strategy of constructing a 5,000km EV charging highway spanning five countries. "This partnership with Voltality," he added, "will expand our network coverage and enhance the experience for our EV drivers."

Freddie Chew, the general manager of CDG ENGIE, expressed the firm's commitment to aiding Singapore's shift toward green mobility.

“In line with this commitment, we have been actively expanding our charging network and developing innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of EV drivers. Being involved in Beep's Voltality enhances the accessibility of our stations for commercial drivers as they have the convenience of using a single interface to pay for EV charging across multiple networks,” he added. 

“As our charging infrastructure continues to expand, CDG ENGIE's involvement in Voltality will bolster EV adoption through its simple and easily accessible payment solution,” Chew said.

According to Beep, its platform functions as a universal translator, seamlessly integrating different charging systems used by various operators. 

The startup said this eliminates the need for operators to undergo additional integration efforts and instead of developing a proprietary Voltality charging app, it offers a white-labeled website or Application Programming Interface which allows vehicle manufacturers, charging operators, and fleets to integrate charging connectivity into their existing applications or interfaces.

Notably, Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre in Singapore, Tribecar, EVFY, Singapore Electric Vehicles, and Quantum Mobility are among the first to utilise the network, establishing access to a variety of mutually consenting participating operators on agreed terms.

Andy Kang, vice president of Sales and Innovation at Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre in Singapore said the company aims to build a comprehensive EV ecosystem for its customers in Singapore, with convenience and connectivity at the forefront. 

“Through our partnership with Beep, our customers are able to use our IONIQ Care+ smartphone application to control the charging process without having to download multiple apps and sync different payment methods,” he added. 

“With this convenient and secure method of operation, we believe this reduces barriers to EV ownership and paves the way forward to an EV-ready nation in Singapore. Hyundai looks forward to working together with Beep to expand access to even more CPOs in the near future,” Kang said.

Additionally, it will continue to work with additional charge point operators, vehicle OEMs, and fleets to expand the network collaboratively and on a permissioned basis.