Volkswagen removes third-party API for EVs, acknowledges user frustration

Volkswagen is facing a wave of frustration among electric vehicle owners after the company unexpectedly disabled a programming interface (API) used by various third-party applications. These apps, such as Home Assistant Volkswagen Carnet and EVCC, allowed users to query battery status and optimize charging processes. The change rendered these functionalities unusable for owners of VW, Audi, Cupra, and Skoda models, among others.

The company had announced the shutdown of the interface on April 2. Volkswagen stated that the previous API was originally intended solely for its internal vehicle app infrastructure. Third-party providers had gained access through reverse engineering, a practice that was known to and tolerated by Volkswagen.

However, Volkswagen explained that the interface was not designed for the high volume of data requests it received, leading to errors and overload. The automaker has now transitioned to documented and standardized interfaces to manage increasing technical demands. Volkswagen claims to have contacted numerous companies prior to the API closure, informed them of the planned changes, and assisted in migrating to the official APIs.

Several partners, including Tibber, Enode, Kraken, Ohme, Tronity, and EEVEE, have reportedly integrated with the new API. Tibber, for instance, is working with Enode. While Volkswagen asserts that the transition has been smooth for most partners, the abrupt removal has caused significant disruption and discontent among EV users.