Chinese electric car company Zeekr is integrating Minima’s blockchain to enable a tokenized system for secure charging station reservations.
Minima, a decentralized blockchain network, is collaborating with the European arm of Chinese electric car maker Zeekr to launch a charging solution that could expand access to charging stations.
In a press release shared with ethdaily.net, Minima said the system could help address infrastructure gaps by allowing EV owners to share their wallboxes through a blockchain-powered booking system.
Minima’s blockchain is said to be integrated into Zeekr wallboxes, allowing owners to make their chargers available for booking. Zeekr drivers would be able to reserve charging slots, potentially increasing access to charging stations that would otherwise sit unused.
“Together with Zeekr, we are showcasing how blockchain and community-driven solutions can address real-world challenges, delivering greater flexibility, security, and convenience to the EV ecosystem.”
Hugo Feiler, co-founder and CEO of Minima
The system will use Minima’s network to generate a secure access control token, which acts as a digital key for the charging station, ensuring that only authorized users can access the charger while maintaining privacy.
A key feature of the system is its offline functionality. Even if internet connectivity is lost, Minima claims its blockchain allows transactions to continue using local connections like Bluetooth. The companies say this could help ensure uninterrupted charging in different environments.
Zeekr is the latest Chinese automaker to explore blockchain, something the industry has been experimenting with for years. Back in 2018, Shanghai-based EV and battery maker BYD announced plans to install a carbon banking system using the VeChainThor blockchain in all its cars.
VeChain’s system was designed to track vehicle data across the entire automotive industry, marking one of the first large-scale attempts to put millions of cars, buses, and trains on a public blockchain.