How TomTom Mapped 2 Million EV Chargepoints Around the World

In December 2024, TomTom mapped its two millionth EV charging point. 

Nearly a year later, the company has chosen to spotlight the milestone, not because of the big number itself, but because the milestone represents a turning point from counting chargers to ensuring the right ones are mapped, validated and globally accessible.

A journey in charging confidence

In a conventional vehicle, dwindling fuel rarely induces worry due to the abundance of fuelling stations.

However, the scenario is different for EV drivers. Their confidence relies heavily on precise in-vehicle navigation systems.

TomTom’s mission is direct: make EV charging as reliable as traditional refuelling.

“Our goal is to make every EV journey worry-free,” said Manuela Locarno Ajayi, SVP for Product Engineering at TomTom.

“Mapping more than two million charging points demonstrates our ongoing support for automakers and partners as they expand EV services and shape the future of emission-free mobility.”

Achieving this demands more than raw data. 

It requires an accurate, timely and personalised map that accounts for compatibility, pricing, charging speeds and local operator differences.

Mapping for a global EV market

While China leads in EV production, other regions are rapidly adopting electric vehicles.

In 2024, Nepal reported that 76% of cars sold were electric, with nations like Sri Lanka, Djibouti and Ethiopia also showing growth in EV imports.

TomTom is expanding its navigation coverage to these rising markets.

Beyond North America and Europe, it focuses on regions like South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania, often overlooked by other global data aggregators.

This expansion is driven by supplementing global data feeds with inputs from local intelligence teams.

These teams validate on-ground data, ensuring emerging EV markets are equally supported.

“Our goal is to really cover every region as much as we possibly can. All EV customers deserve a good experience and a complete dataset enables that across the navigation system,” says Drew Meehan, TomTom’s Senior EV Product Manager.

“We have local intelligence teams that help us identify partners in places where we're not getting enough information from these aggregators. 

“Our strategy is not just to take what we can get, it's to go out and find the best way of making this happen, even if it means overcoming a few hurdles.” 

Quality check and blueprint navigation

Of the 2.1 million mapped points, only those meeting TomTom’s quality benchmarks are featured on active maps.

Points are verified through thorough checks, including cross-referencing and removing duplicates, sometimes even requiring in-person validation by local teams.

Currently, 220,000 charging points remain in pre-production, each awaiting its validation process.

This rigorous approach avoids the inclusion of unreliable data, which could diminish user trust.

TomTom’s EV data is part of the Orbis Maps platform, allowing automakers to integrate their proprietary datasets from various charging point operators (CPOs). 

Standards like the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) facilitate the blending of both public and private data layers while maintaining contractual rights.