6 Reasons Why Fast Charging is Critical

EVCS Level 3 chargers are capable of charging an EV battery to 80% capacity within 20 minutes on most vehicles. They are sleek, efficient, convenient, work with any EV, can function in myriad conditions, and are connected by a powerful network with an easy-to-use interface. By all measures, Level 3 charging – or fast charging – is not only an important link in the electric mobility chain as society transitions away from fossil fuels but a critical one to the goal of mass EV adoption.

Below are six key reasons why we believe fast charging is a key piece of the technology puzzle whose time has come.

1) Not All Drivers Can Charge at Home

Installing a Level 1 or Level 2 charger at a single-family home is easy and allows the EV owner to power up overnight. But what about renters who live in guesthouses, townhomes, multi-unit dwellings and other properties that haven’t installed chargers? They often have no recourse if the property owner says no to the idea. Moreover, what if work isn’t an option either? Fast chargers installed at publicly accessible sites offer a practical solution for many drivers, who can fully charge their EVs in the time it takes to, say, eat lunch or buy groceries for the week.

2) Extended Range in a Shorter Time

Imagine you’re on a vacation with your family, traveling across the vast open arteries of the American highway system. You pull over to grab a bite while your EV charges. You want to be back on the road in 30 minutes and go at least another 200 miles before your next charge. Only a fast charger (like the ones EVCS has installed all along the West Coast Electric Highway) will provide the kind of range long-distance travelers want in limited time windows. Americans are used to getting what they want quickly and easily, which is why limited dwell time must align with an applicable charging solution.

3) One Charger Can Service More Drivers

As EVs become more prevalent, the practicality of slower Level 2 chargers in the public arena radically diminishes. More EVs on the road means chargers will need to service each vehicle quicker to avoid long lines and wait times. Current charging capacity means an average of three to five cars can be serviced per hour at each charger, but as infrastructure evolves over the next decade, higher kilowatt-hour networks should be able to increase that figure up to seven-fold.

4) It Incentivizes Greater EV Participation

According to polling conducted by Geotab, one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption was that EVs require “significantly longer charging times [when] compared to fuel pump refill times for internal combustion-powered vehicles” along with a “[limited] availability of public charging stations.” With companies like EVCS installing more fast chargers, however, concerns like these will gradually erode and more hold-outs will convert to electric mobility.

5) It’s A Financial Win for Businesses

The transition to EVs is being expedited by fast chargers, which can be installed in many places gas stations can’t. In fact, just about any business property can host them. “EV chargers can be installed in almost any location that’s connected to the power grid,” says Vox writer Rebecca Heilweil in her article, “The Death of the Gas Station.” Retailers will find Level 3 infrastructure boosts their bottom line, adding a new revenue stream as they share in profits generated by their chargers. And companies with fleets will find it far more cost-effective for refueling large numbers of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

6) It Will Ultimately Drive Innovation

While some critics express concerns about DCFCs depleting overall battery life, more resilient batteries with higher energy density are already being developed to address the increase in Level 3 charging. In addition, fast charging is spurring other developments in electric mobility such as greater energy conversion efficiency, bi-directional V2G technology, and more robust cloud-based networks. In time, such technological advancements will significantly bring down costs across the entire EV industry.

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Installation of the Month (February 2021): Hollywood & Highland

In the movie Spider-man, Uncle Ben tells Peter Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The phrase, which came to be known as the “Peter Parker Principle,” is just as true today as it was 20 years ago when the movie first premiered. And just as Peter took seriously his newfound powers, we take seriously our responsibility to facilitate broader access to vehicle electrification options – quite literally the “great power” here is the electricity that keeps EVs moving. We also understand the power of movies and television to convey the importance of electric mobility, be it through information, entertainment or influence marketing. As such, Hollywood has become a tremendous partner in advancing the EVCS mission.

Installation of the Month (January 2021): Barlow Respiratory Hospital

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Two thousand twenty has been a year of undeniable adversity, but also one of remarkable achievement. A year of firsts and hopefully a few lasts. A time of toil and tribulation, but also of triumph. For genuine success is partly defined by our ability to hurdle those implacable obstacles that make the result so noteworthy in the first place. Now, as the EVCS team looks back on this unusual year, we take stock of our unique achievements that made 2020 one for the books.

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Commentary on Geotab’s 2020 EV Fleet Trends Article – Part II

Two weeks ago, we published part one of our commentary on Geotab’s in-depth article, “Electric Vehicle Trends 2020: Top 6 Factors Impacting Fleet Electrification” (https://www.geotab.com/white-paper/electric-vehicle-trends/). Again, the idea was to assess whether each of the trends were evolving as Geotab predicted and, if so, how EVCS was responding to them in the marketplace. Below are the final three trends referenced and our thoughts on each.