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he perceived lack of ready access to charging
stations is one factor that has limited con-
sumers’ interest in buying electric vehicles.
While the number and diversity of locations
of EV charging stations are growing, thanks to net-
works such as Electrify America, chargers can be hard
to find in urban centers, or on the outskirts of cities.
The most suitable locations to meet drivers’ charging
needs can sometimes be too expensive to operate due
to installation and energy costs, or too far from avail-
able power to be tenable. Both established and startup
companies are addressing this conundrum by develop-
ing variations on mobile charging solutions to address
specific needs. There’s a spate of new products aimed
at making EV charging more flexible by simplifying
installation and bringing chargers closer to the vehicles.
For charging network operators and would-be site
hosts, determining the best new locations to satisfy the
expanding fleet of EVs has been challenging, due to the
need to know where the vehicles reside and where they
are most frequently driven. However, the necessary data
to answer these questions is not freely available, which
T
THE INFRASTRUCTURE
The necessary data to
answer these questions is
not freely available, which
makes the ability to relocate
charging stations if stations
become underutilized an
attractive option.
makes the ability to relocate charging stations if stations
become underutilized an attractive option.
Los Angeles-based charging infrastructure developer
EVgo has been at the forefront of DC fast charging since
its inception in 2010. In September 2018, the company
unveiled its EVgo FastStart modular units, which can
include a combination of Level 2 and DC fast charging
connections.Image courtesy of EVgo