There’s no denying that we’re reaching a critical point in the EV revolution. With electric vehicle prices coming down, major manufacturers rolling out lines, and federal and local governments investing in infrastructure, we should be seeing adoption rates skyrocket. While adoption rates are increasing, they’re largely being held back by driver dissatisfaction with public EV charging stations. This means we have some hurdles to overcome, but the good news is we have the means to do so.
Quick Links
- JD Powers Recent Report On Public EV Charging Stations
- A Closer Look at Public EV Charging Stations Challenges
- The Impact of Dissatisfaction with Public EV Charging Stations
- How to Improve the Public EV Charging Experience
JD Powers Recent Report On Public EV Charging Stations
At the end of August, JD Powers released its yearly report on the state of public EV charging and, as many of us might already know, it’s not great. The JD Powers report bases driver satisfaction with public EV charging on the following factors:
- Charging ease
- Charging speed
- Physical condition of charging stations
- Charger availability
- Charging location convenience
- Amenities/activities near charging locations
- Charging location safety
- Ease of finding locations
- Charging cost
- Ease of payment
Sadly, the report found that, over the last year, satisfaction with these factors has decreased despite significant growth in the number of public EV charging stations available to drivers. Further, satisfaction decreases occurred regardless of EV charging method. In fact, when it comes to DC fast chargers, satisfaction levels have dropped even more significantly than with Level 2 chargers.
The primary issue? Nearly a quarter of visits to EV charging stations end with station outages preventing a driver from charging their vehicle. That lack of reliability is a huge issue when it comes to EV charging infrastructure and consequently wider adoption.
Among EV charging stakeholders, it’s long been a discussion that in addition to alleviating concerns about range anxiety, providing opportunities for drivers to charge in locations with decent dwell time would be a crucial part of EV infrastructure. While it seems we’re increasing the number of charging stations, we’re not increasing their reliability and that’s a big problem.
A Closer Look at Public EV Charging Stations Challenges
It would be great if the problems drivers were experiencing with EV charging were a single problem. Unfortunately, when we say reliability, it’s a pretty big umbrella under which several challenges fall.
Still, before we get to reliability, let’s take a look at some other key findings from the JD Powers study as consumers are concerned about some other factors as well.
Site analysis- Charging station site selection has a huge impact on driver satisfaction. Both convenience and dwell time were factors cited by respondents. Ultimately, they’re looking for locations that are not only easily accessible but offer “reasons” for them to willingly spend the time they’ll need to charge. In short, they’re looking for desirable locations where they’d want to spend a half hour or more.
Charging Methods- Site selection will also impact EV charging methods. Drivers are looking for fast charging options on travel routes where time is limited, but when EV charging stations are located in shopping or entertainment areas/districts, again where diversions or activities are available, level 2 chargers are more than sufficient.
Charging Speeds- One might think “More DC fast chargers!” However, drivers are dissatisfied with charging speeds across the board, level 2 and fast chargers. Again, this may come down to site selection. Too many charging stations on one site, especially when they’re all in use, would require station owners or hosts to strictly monitor and manage power utilization.
Let’s say, for example the power grid at your site can, realistically, handle 2-3 stations, but 4 get installed. Obviously, power management will require you to throttle all of the charging stations, when all are in use, to ensure each vehicle charges, regardless of how slowly.
And, finally, we get to reliability. As mentioned, roughly 20% of charger visits result in a driver pulling away without having charged their vehicle. According to the study, the two primary reasons for that stat are inoperable chargers and long lines. In other words, we need more reliable EV chargers and more of them.
EV Charger Reliability
When it comes to charger reliability, we’re really talking about a few factors here. First, there’s the assumption that all the hardware is working properly, which for many stations isn’t the case. From broken connectors to internal mechanisms that need maintenance, even if they can connect to the charger network, drivers may be unable to charge their vehicles.
But, for some, the hardware is in working order, but they can’t connect to the charging network. Whether it’s network reliability or a proprietary charging app that doesn’t use open charge point protocol (OCPP), if they can’t connect to the station, they can’t charge their car.
For drivers who may already be stressed about range, pulling up to unreliable EV charging stations can compound that stress and create significant problems for hosts and owners, whether that’s municipalities, retail locations, workplaces, hotels, or more.
The Impact of Dissatisfaction with Public EV Charging Stations
Obviously, one of the biggest concerns with the current public EV charging station situation is it could, potentially, slow EV adoption rates. Over the last 5-10 years, those adoption rates have spiked. With electric vehicle price drops, improved (or at least increased) infrastructure, and investments in both, the future looked increasingly promising. However, if we can’t improve EV charging infrastructure, we may stall growth in a way that leaves a lasting impact.
In addition to the larger implications for the EV industry, for station owners, unreliable EV charging stations can create even bigger problems. Not only do you lose the benefits of EV charging like increased dwell or shopping time, increased revenue, or boosted NOI, but the reputational impact extends beyond the “green” bump you’d normally get.
Frustrated drivers are, in the best case, frustrated customers, tenants, or employees. In the worst case, those same individuals are not customers, tenants, or employees and their word of mouth, especially among EV drivers may be detrimental as well.
If you’re considering EV infrastructure at your business, then doing due diligence to ensure the reliability of your charging stations is vital.
How to Improve the Public EV Charging Experience
While the concerns are very real for stakeholders in the EV space, and even those simply hoping to be in the future, the good news is there are ways to improve the public EV charging experience.
1. Prior to installation, complete a comprehensive site analysis.
Not only is this about choosing areas that are convenient for drivers, offering both easy entrance and exit, but it means choosing locations where there are demands for EV charging. It also means looking at how the site is set up for hardware and connectivity needs. And, finally, as we noted above, it means understanding power grid capacity.
In the example above, where 2-3 charging stations were recommended, 2 stations rather than 3-4, can improve performance for the 2 existing charging stations, providing the benefits station owners desire without impacting driver experience. This comes down to choosing an EV charging station company that understands how to maximize and optimize your property and EV charging options without over architecting or overburdening the grid.
Finally, this includes an understanding of what types of chargers your site can handle. While you may want to offer DC fast chargers, grid capacity may mean your site is better suited for a hybrid or level 2 chargers to help keep charging station performance at its best.
2. Consider networked EV charging stations
While non-networked charging stations are less expensive, one of the reasons for that is that they are not connected to a larger network. Not only will your charger not show up on charging apps like Plugshare, but it also means that as a station owner or host you have no visibility into whether your charger is functioning. Obviously, this increases the likelihood that drivers may pull up to your charger only to find it unavailable.
In contrast, a networked EV charger means that, as an owner or host, you have full visibility into its performance (as well as its performance metrics) and can troubleshoot and address issues before they impact drivers. And, with the right EV charging platform management system (CPMS), you can set alerts for downtime, performance issues, or maintenance needs (in addition to a myriad of other options).
OCPP is designed, in part, to improve the way drivers connect to EV charging stations. More specifically, it allows EV charging stations and portals from different vendors to communicate with one other. Why does this matter? When drivers pull up to an open charging station, they may quickly realize it’s a proprietary charging station on a closed network, which can make the charging station unusable. EV charging stations who use OCPP are more flexible, and that flexibility pays off for drivers and station owners.
4. Choose your EV charging network provider carefullyEV charging networks are pretty robust and are actually playing multiple roles when it comes to delivering on EV charging. For example, EV charging networks not only connect the charging stations to the host/owner, but they also connect the stations to one another (important for power management) and enable drivers to find and use EV charging stations.
As you can imagine, given the pivotal role of the network in all aspects of charger connectivity, it’s essential that as an EV charging station owner or host you research the reliability and performance of the network your provider offers. Networks with poor performance and reliability will impact a driver’s ability to connect to your station as well as your ability to manage your stations and their maintenance needs.
5. Choose your EV station provider wisely
Caveat emptor. When it comes to finding an EV charging station provider, you’ll, of course, want to look into their network, but you’ll also want to consider a few other factors including what services they provide and how they provide them. Further, you’ll also want to consider their solvency. Investing in a provider or vendor who won’t be around or isn’t capable of maintaining and upgrading your equipment can be even more costly in the end.
In other words, do they come in after site analysis? Will they help you find potential funding sources? What kind of ongoing support and warranty do they offer? Reliability goes beyond connectivity and, ultimately, you want a provider who’s able to not only meet your current needs but able to grow and scale with you, who has a pulse on the industry and is thinking a few steps ahead when it comes to where the industry and technology are headed so you’re prepared for those changes (and challenges) too.
Increasing numbers of EV charging stations should also mean increasing numbers of electric vehicles on the road. But that change means, as EV charging companies and stakeholders, we need to be working towards the kinds of improvements and standards that improve the experience for drivers. Most importantly, the means we need to be working towards increased reliability.
As an EV charging company, NovaCHARGE prides itself on reliability. From our hardware and network to our service and support, we’re with you every step of the way (starting with your site analysis). Our team of experts is ready to ensure you and the drivers who use your charging stations have an excellent experience, so reach out today!