When it comes to charging their electric vehicle, EV drivers need to know when, where, and how they’ll be able to get a charge in. Now, there’s growing concern as many encounter nonfunctioning chargers on the road. Could this halt the trajectory of the EV movement?
A recent Wired article notes “the effects that broken and slow chargers will have on the nation’s wider electrification project”. This concern goes hand in hand with range anxiety, the fear of being stuck somewhere without the option to charge, which is a deterrent for some potential EV buyers.
“A recent survey of 181 San Francisco Bay Area public charging stations, partially funded by the nonprofit Cool the Earth, suggests that 23 percent of them might be “nonfunctioning” at any given time, stymied by broken screens, shoddy credit card or payment systems, network connection failures, or damaged plugs.”
Charging equipment issues may have to do with power electronics and the ability for the utilities to get electricity to the charging station and maintaining a stable internet and cell-phone connection so that the software can monitor what’s going on. Payment issues can also be quite the hassle – credit card machines malfunctioning, screens illegible under strong sunlight, or failed connections with membership cards or apps.
Although U.S. governments are putting a lot of money into building out a charging network, notably the $5 billion federal infrastructure bill to build chargers along interstate highways, the new chargers need to function well.
California is working with other states to establish nationwide maintenance standards, a strong step towards curbing this issue. Many EVs will be on the streets in the next few years and functioning stations are a necessity. EV owners rely not only on the convenience and proximity of the stations, but the ability to rely on public chargers working when they need them to.
Potential EV station owners should ensure their charging station projects have funding set aside for regular station maintenance. When you design your charging solution with Sona, our turn-key project approach includes regular maintenance and ongoing support.