What Technological Innovations Are EV Charging Stations Suppliers Adopting?
EV Charging Stations Suppliers
The rapid rise of electric vehicles has created a new market for EV charging stations suppliers. Visionary entrepreneurs recognized the need for reliable EV charging networks to help overcome initial barriers such as range anxiety and accessibility concerns, and established companies to design and produce these essential pieces of infrastructure. Today, these innovative EV charging station companies are on the cutting edge of developing a wide range of solutions for consumers and fleets considering making the switch to electric mobility.
EVs need access to fast and slow charging points to ensure that they can complete long journeys without running out of power. While most EV drivers will have access to home and workplace chargers, there will be times when it will be necessary to find an open public charging station in order to continue on a trip. This is why many Ev Charging Stations Suppliers are being placed in locations that are frequented by the public, including restaurants and shopping malls.
In order for EVs to be as attractive as possible to the widest range of motorists, they must be able to charge at speeds that are comparable to the performance of conventional gasoline cars. This means that EV chargers must be capable of providing high-speed AC charging, which is usually accomplished through Level 3 DCFC (Direct Current Fast Charging) stations with plugs such as CCS or CHAdeMO. The recent announcement that Tesla chargers will be standardized as SAE J3400 opens the door for other automakers to adopt this technology, creating a vast network of charging stations that can meet the needs of all EV models.
What Technological Innovations Are EV Charging Stations Suppliers Adopting?
Other technologies are also advancing the speed at which EVs can recharge. Inductive or wireless charging uses electromagnetic induction to power a car, eliminating the need for cables altogether. However, this technology is still not yet available in the form of a consumer-ready product, and even if it did, it would require the installation of special equipment in each vehicle to enable this type of charging.
As EVs are expected to become more widespread, the need for a robust and efficient EV charging network will increase even further. A study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates that by 2030, a cumulative investment of between $31 and $55 billion will be required to build more than 1.2 million publicly accessible charging stations, on top of 28 million home chargers.
A key aspect of these investments will be ensuring equitable access to charging stations for all drivers, which includes having chargers located near rural communities where many residents may not have home chargers and making sure that there are enough fast DCFC stations in urban areas to serve commuters. NREL has also released an interactive map of planned EV charging networks, which can be updated with future assumptions and will serve as a valuable tool for tracking developments in this critical area. To learn more, you can also sign up to receive NREL’s quarterly Sustainable Mobility Matters newsletter.