Electrify America unveils a new design of its charging stations. The redesigned stations are more consumer-friendly and clearly indicate charging levels. The new “balanced charging” system delivers the maximum charge possible to each vehicle. Also, the payment options are much clearer and create a similar experience as a “gas station”. People are more familiar with it and would not find difficulty in its usage.
Furthermore, another major issue is that consumers are not particularly aware of the charging speeds of their own EVs. So the current labeling might be confusing and unknown to customers. So Electrify America is going to use the CHAdeMo for low-level up. For other charging points, they are going to use easy terminologies like “ultra-fast”, and “hyper-fast” for 150kW and 350kW. It also shows one, two, or three lightning bolts for charging levels, the type of plug, and CHAdeMO or CCS labeling up top.
Electrify America’s Robert Barrosa said, “We want to help make the transition to EV charging easier by translating kilowatt ratings into simple names like Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast with corresponding colors to help them make a selection at the charger,”
Charging made simpler
On top of that, the company is introducing something called “Balanced Charging” for each pair of chargers at a single power cabinet, to ensure your EV gets the maximum kilowatts possible. For instance, if a vehicle that can handle a 150kW charge pulls into a station, the charger will detect its capacity and deliver the maximum 150kW. If another with a 280kW capacity then pulls in, it will automatically deliver 200kW to the second vehicle until the first requests less than 150kW. Each charger supporting that system will be clearly marked as “Balanced.” The company has created new labels to indicate that the NFC target area is where members should tap their phones. The credit card readers are more clearly labeled as well, so guests can more easily understand where to insert their cards. The company also made it easier to access support in case of problems, making the phone number more prominent and adding a QR code.
Electrify America previously announced that it’ll expand to 1,800 fast charging stations and 10,000 individual chargers across North America by 2026. Many of those chargers will accommodate the latest EVs like the Porsche Taycan which can handle up to a 270 kW charge. It also recently unveiled its charging station of the future, with customer lounges, solar canopies, and more. The company will replace the speed, contact, and payment labels on all charging stations, and said that any “new stations will feature balanced charging functionality.”
