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 (June 2021): Hyatt Place Riverside/Downtown

The ability to travel is something many of us take for granted. Our Interstate Highway System allows us to freely traverse state boundaries – to go wherever we choose whenever we choose – from the snow-capped Colorado Rockies to the soupy Everglade swamplands to the historic lighthouses of coastal New England. However, EV drivers are more acutely aware of their travel limitations because many areas of the country have yet to adopt pro-electric infrastructure policies, often leaving them with few ground-travel options other than ICE vehicles. We knew getting more Americans to embrace the electric revolution would require buy-in from the hospitality industry. As such, much of our focus has gone toward hotels that, by serving as site hosts for charging stations, can help kickstart that ubiquitous access required to convert many EV holdouts.

Wall Street Journal Piece Brings Up Questions… And We Answer

Stephen Wilmot’s recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Investors Look for an EV Charge,” debates the merits of investing in EV infrastructure, admitting that while chargers likely make for better investments than cars, the sector still holds many potential pitfalls that should be considered before jumping in. While that may be true, many of the examples backing up this assertion cite the business models of the largest EV installers in the country while failing to consider what less visible but faster-growing companies like EVCS are doing to mitigate such risks. Below are a few quotes from the article and our thoughts on them, including how we’re different.

Commentary on EV Industry Profitability Claims

In a recent Driving.ca article titled “EV-Charging Industry is Doing Everything Except Making Money,” author David R. Baker makes a compelling argument that the EV infrastructure sector is a revenue desert, essentially incapable of generating enough cash flow to sustain profitability due to a lack of interest from motorists. “The dilemma boils down to demand,” he states, before adding that “lots of people still driving gasoline-powered cars won’t consider going electric until they see charging stations widely deployed.”

Installation of the Month (May 2021): LADOT Lot 656

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) notes on its website that ICE vehicles are one of the city’s top contributors to air pollution, accounting for 19% of all greenhouse gas emissions, before proclaiming, “We can do better… We’re investing in public transit, testing new technology, and adopting mobility innovations for a cleaner environment and brighter future.” At first, it might just sound like flowery rhetoric, but we can personally attest to that commitment. Starting in 2019, LADOT partnered with us to install DCFCs at 57 city-owned lots, with almost 30% of those installations now completed. This alliance has been integral in promoting our goal of zero-emission mobility in the City of Angels by facilitating greater access to infrastructure.

Addressing Pain Points in Creating EV Infrastructure

A recent GovTech.com article titled “How Biden Plans to Build 500 EV Charging Stations” discusses the President’s goals for creating a nationwide network of 500,000 such installations by 2030. While it does a smart job laying out many of the pain points we face in facilitating EV adoption, the mention of solutions was far less prevalent, and ones that were mentioned seemed speculative or tenuous. However, over the last three years, EVCS has already taken the lead in addressing many of these challenge areas, allowing us to dominate the installation market across the West Coast.