Live tool on this site and data platform

UK EV Charger Finder

A free tool on this site for finding public electric vehicle chargers near you, built on WorthIT EV Data, an API that combines charge point data from several sources into one consistent format.

  • Angular
  • TypeScript
  • Azure Functions
  • Azure Blob Storage
  • Node.js
  • OCPI 2.2.1
  • Leaflet
  • OpenStreetMap

How it fits together

  1. Sources
    • Operator feeds
    • Open Charge Map
  2. Ingestion
    • Provider adapters
    • Scheduled sync
  3. WorthIT EV Data
    • Normalise and deduplicate
    • Search and details API
  4. Visitors
    • EV Charger Finder
    • Future apps
Simplified outline: each source is fetched within its own limits, merged into one deduplicated dataset, and served through one API that the finder, and future apps, can use.

The challenge

UK charge point operators have to publish their data openly under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, using the OCPI standard. In practice every source differs: some need keys, each has its own limits, statuses are not always live, the same charger can appear in more than one feed, and tariffs can combine per-kWh prices with session, time and idle fees. The aim was one clean API that hides those differences, and a finder that never shows a charger twice or a price it can’t stand behind.

What was built

  • Provider adapters that handle each source’s authentication, paging, rate limits and retries, and convert its data into one model that follows the OCPI hierarchy of locations, chargers, connectors and tariffs.
  • Deduplication that matches the same charger across sources by its public charger ID first, then by operator and location, and deliberately keeps records apart when a match would be a guess.
  • Source precedence that prefers the operator’s own feed, but weighs how recently each source confirmed a status, so older data never overrides newer data.
  • Scheduled background ingestion that only calls a source when it is due, keeps each source’s last good data if it fails, and records every source’s health.
  • A search API with filters for connector, charging speed, network, live availability, 24-hour access, card payment and price, and a details API covering every charger, connector, tariff and data source.
  • The finder page: postcode or location search, result cards led by availability, speed, price and distance, full tariff details, directions and a map.

Technical highlights

  • 01

    One API, many sources

    The page only ever talks to WorthIT EV Data, so sources can be added, changed or removed without touching the website. Live now: char.gy’s open feed and Open Charge Map. Adapters for GRIDSERVE and Eco-Movement’s regulatory feed are built and waiting on access, which will add live availability.

  • 02

    Honest data

    Availability is shown only when a network reports it, with the time it was last confirmed, and is flagged when it may be out of date. A simple price per kWh is shown only when the tariff really is that simple; anything more complex keeps its full structure, and community prices are marked as unconfirmed.

  • 03

    Built to grow

    Adding another OCPI source is mostly configuration. Every charger keeps the source records it came from, with their licences, so attribution stays accurate when sources are combined.

What it demonstrates

  • Designing a data aggregation platform, not just a page
  • Working with open data standards (OCPI) and regulated data sources
  • Careful deduplication and conflict resolution across sources
  • Rate-limited, fault-tolerant background ingestion on Azure
  • Honest presentation of live, stale and missing data

Start with a conversation

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Real-time data, unusual interfaces, integrations or automation: if it’s a problem software can solve, let’s talk about it.

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