This new startup is developing the next generation in EV chargers.
In the next few years, electric vehicles will go from 3% of the market to 30%. But will the charging infrastructure be in place?
We’re at an inflection point with electric vehicles. Nearly all the major car companies have announced extensive new EV model lines. Volvo says that within four years they expect that more than half the cars they sell will be fully-electric. Overall, the industry expects that EV’s will go from the current 3.5% of the US market to more than a third by 2030.
But there’s one problem: We don’t have nearly enough charging stations. If you take your new EV out for a long cross-country drive you’ll find precious few chargers outside major urban areas today.
A new startup on the East Coast, ChargeStation, is addressing this issue. They are building DC fast chargers capable of giving your car 200-miles worth of a charge in as little as 15 minutes. And their chargers are compatible with all the major EV car brands.
Even more importantly, what they are developing is “smart chargers”, driven by proprietary software that allows the chargers to be configured for a variety of business cases. So, for example, a hotel might want to install ChargeStations and have them integrate with their hotel guest system software. Or a retail chain might want to install them in front of their stores and have the chargers integrate with their brand’s loyalty rewards program. The startup also offers several financing options for property owners who want to install ChargeStations, from leasing to revenue-share arrangements.
This ability to have smart fast chargers installed on properties across the country, each configured to support the business needs of various property owners, will be a key driver for getting nationwide infrastructure in place. Startups like ChargeStation are bringing us into the new era of personal mobility and electric cars.
