chargEV App Privacy Policy

This Data Protection Policy explains the nature, scope and purpose of the processing of personal data through your use of the chargEV app and its associated online databases.

EV Freaks GmbH
Altenhausener Str. 21
D-74523 Schwäbisch Hall, Germany
Phone: +49 711 968 969 22
E-Mail: info@cron.eu

Questions about privacy and data protection officer can be sent to info@ev-freaks.com.

Personal data

We use personal information to a very limited extent and take the principle of data minimisation very seriously. We neither require you to create a user account nor register in any other such way with us. A nickname voluntarily and actively chosen by you will not be linked to a user account. A new nickname may be chosen for each transmission of data and can be selected by different users at the same time. We do not consolidate search queries in any way.

However, for the app to work properly you must have an iCloud account. A hash value is only transmitted to us. The exact name of your account or your personal information are not shared with us. The hash value allows us to verify your iCloud account (i.e. we know that you have one) and recognise it, but we do not identify you personally. Of course, Apple is aware of additional information about your iCloud account, such as the email address associated with it. These are not known to us. Visit Apple to learn how it uses your data.

A browser identifier is also transmitted which contains the name of the browser as well as the operating system you are using, plus other similar technical information. We do not use this data. However, while other providers may try to identify you based on this information, it is not possible to identify a user personally.

We do not track your location. This means that the app does not monitor or save your current position. However, the app registers charging point locations in the operating system (iOS) so that you can be notified when you are approaching a charging point. Neither the app itself nor EV Freaks is informed about this.

Searching for charging points

When searching for a charging point, the app will connect you directly to your chosen database.

We currently offer these databases:

Open Charge Map
Open Charge Map in turn uses Amazon AWS, which uses Cellcontrol servers. Amazon AWS and Cellcontrol are certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield. To view Amazon AWS’ Privacy Policy, see here.
Going Electric
Here are details about the Going Electric privacy policy.

In addition to your search parameter criteria – which may contain your location – your IP address and your browser ID will be transmitted. Learn how each provider processes your personal data by seeing their websites. For the app to work correctly, your personal data needs to be processed and transmitted to the database providers.

what3words

When viewing the details of a charging point, the app will retrieve a what3words code to display on the details page on behalf of your details request. These are three words which aim to ease navigation to the charging station. To do so, the app connects you directly to what3words, therefore your most recent IP address becomes to known to what3words. what3words knows that you are using chargEV and may analyze how many interactions you have per day. what3words is not able to identify your identity.

what3words Ltd., privacy policy

Data created by you

You can volunteer to improve the database. For this purpose, you transmit check-ins or metadata (see below). This data is typically published and publicly accessible to any third party.

Check-ins

You can voluntarily submit check-ins to existing charging points. If you do, relevant data will be transmitted to us. Your IP address is not shared with us – only the hash value of your iCloud ID is transmitted to us, which we do not store permanently. In addition, the following is transmitted to us:

Date and time (either the timestamp generated automatically and sent when you check-in or a different timestamp specified by you),
Assignment of the check-in to an existing charging point (and thus indirectly the assignment to geographical coordinates),
Assignment to a specific charging point (which plug type or, where multiple plugs of the same type are available, which of the plugs),
Successful/unsuccessful charging process,
Your comments (free text), and
Your chosen nickname or randomly generated user name.

Providing information about the charging point, comments or your chosen nickname are optional.

It is not possible for us to identify you personally based on your nickname. In theory while it is possible for us to create a profile based on your iCloud hash value and activities, and thereby establish your movements, we neither do this nor make any attempt to do so.

If you decide to provide this voluntary information, this is considered ‘free text’ which requires no processing beyond its storage. In particular, we cannot identify you personally based on check-ins. Other people can also choose the same nickname as you.

The check-ins may be transmitted to the databases of the above-mentioned third parties. However, as these are transmitted from our servers, to third parties it looks like we are checking in.

Metadata

You can voluntarily share metadata about charging points. This information, including images, makes it easier for others to use a charging point (locating the charging point, local shops, what to do when you’re dawdling, etc.). If you create metadata, the following data will be transmitted:

Photos you choose to publish, including the data they contain, such as the camera model, location and the time the picture was taken,
Time the photo was sent to us,
A random identifier based on your iCloud hash.

This data is intended to be made available to other users. For this purpose, it will be transmitted to the platforms used by the app. It can therefore be:

Displayed in third-party native and web apps,
Indexed by search engines such as Google,
Shared with charging point operators including their payment services providers.

The data that is transmitted may be deleted at any time for administration reasons. However, it is not possible to erase this data specifically on every platform. You should therefore assume that this data cannot be deleted.