EV Charging: What’s Broken and How Tesla Has the Fix

 

EV Charging Stations Are Broken, Literally

According to a study of public EV charging stations based in California's Bay Area, only 72.5% were operational. The study out of the University of California Berkeley, Cool the Earth, a nonprofit focused on reducing carbon emissions, and retired professor of bioengineering  David Rempel revealed that California's charging infrastructure has significant reliability issues. This is particularly concerning given that California has the highest number of EV owners in the United States and has long been a leader in developing electric and hybrid vehicles.

The reasons for the chargers’ downtime were manifold: from network connectivity problems, broken plugs, and unresponsive screens to payment system failures. Additionally, approximately 5% of connectors had cables that weren’t capable of reaching the EV charging port, making them unusable. This study is just one piece of a growing body of evidence indicating that EV charging needs to become more convenient for there to be widespread adoption of battery-powered vehicles.

In 2021, 60% of all EV charging stations in the U.S. were Tesla Superchargers, but China still had 85% of the world’s fast charger stations.

Tesla was one of the first to enter the EV market–allowing it to establish a strong brand and customer base and gain an advantage over other manufacturers. Additionally, Tesla has invested heavily in research and development. This has resulted in the development of advanced EV technology, such as its high-performance electric motors and battery systems.

 

 

Cars being charged at a Tesla charging station. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock

 

One of the key reasons why Tesla has an advantage is that it operates its own network of charging stations, allowing it to provide convenient and reliable charging options for its customers. This is in contrast to other car manufacturers, which often rely on third-party charging networks, where compatibility, or rather the lack thereof, plays a key role.

The incumbent large car manufacturers might be well-advised to invest in building up their own charging network vs. relying on third parties. That’s if they want to be at the forefront of an electrified transportation future. 

 

Standards for a Seamless Charging Experience

For a third-party charging experience to function well, the charging station hardware (EVSE, or Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment), the cellular networks that give the stations internet connectivity, and charging station management software (CSMS) must interact with each other and the EV driver.

To understand the interplay between these technologies, let’s have a look at what EV drivers typically do when they need to charge their car: 

 

1. Make a reservation for a particular charger before arriving at the charging station, typically through a mobile app or through messaging.

2. On the backend, this charger is put on hold for the driver.

3. As the driver arrives, they identify themselves, and the charger authorizes them.

4. The charger physically unlocks the connector the driver plugs into their car.

5. The charger starts the charging session.

6. The driver enters a nearby store for a cup of coffee and eventually receives a notification that the charging session has ended.

7. The driver sets the connector back into the socket, and the charger locks the socket.

8. The charger triggers a billing event with the driver according to their usage and the CPO’s pricing.

 

For this sequence of events to run like a well-oiled machine, the EVSE manufacturers, connectivity providers, and software vendors that all play a role behind the scenes must agree on a way for their technologies to work together.

 

 

A man waits while his EV is charged. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock

 

Luckily, a protocol exists to standardize how these players talk to each other. The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is the open-source language used by charging stations and network management systems to communicate with one another, no matter how different they may be.

The OCPP’s role is to make any EV charging station work compatibly with any charger management software.

Charge points that rely on OCPP compliance to enable charging sessions, manage remote diagnostics, and ensure a secure data exchange will have an advantage in this increasingly competitive space.

 

Factors Affecting EV Charging

EV charging involves a more complex experience than simply stopping at a nearby station and filling up for a few minutes before paying at the pump.

These factors all come into play:

• Charger type (fast/slow, connector type)

• Participation in a subscriber network

• The presence of mobile apps

• The right payment options

• Nearby amenities

As a result, the customer experience is crucial for operators in the public charging market, and those who provide the best experience are likely to be the most successful.

For an enjoyable charging experience, chargers need to be found in attractive locations, which today they often aren’t. Why is that?

First, we need to understand the correlation between charging speed and the type of amenities that should be available nearby. As retailers, shopping mall owners, and other types of businesses start to choose the right type of charger for their parking lots, it's important to consider how long customers are likely to be parked at their locations.

Providing Level 2 AC charging access, which adds 25 to 40 miles of range per hour, means customers could be parked for an hour or more (as much as eight to 10 hours) at retail locations, restaurants, and workplaces, as well as residences and hospitality locations.

On the other hand, DC fast chargers can add 150 miles of range per hour or more, making them a good fit for locations where drivers will be parked for less than an hour, including fuel retailers, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, and other retail locations.