Electrify America unveiled a new charging station concept today that includes updates to the actual chargers with better displays and cable management as well as updates to the stations themselves with solar canopies and more amenities.
With 731 charging stations and over 3,000 fast-chargers, Electrify America is rapidly becoming an important part of EV infrastructure in the US.
It is becoming the go-to charging partner for many automakers looking to launch new EVs in the market.
After a few years of operating its network, Electrify America has learned a lot, and now it’s unveiling improvements to its offering – what it now calls the ‘Charging station of the future.”
The actual charger got an upgraded screen that is going to be easier to see in different lights and a better cable management system:
But the bigger changes are to the stations themselves, which are getting solar canopies, waiting areas, and other amenities depending on the locations.
Giovanni Palazzo, president and CEO of Electrify America, commented on the announcement:
“Electrify America will be reinventing the look and feel at many of our charging stations to meet and exceed the expectations of customers moving from a gas-powered vehicle to an electric lifestyle. These new designs will help elevate the charging experience for our customers, building on the foundation of our ultra-fast and reliable coast-to-coast network.”
The company is going to showcase these new features with installations in 2022 and 2023 in “select new flagship charging facilities in Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego and Beverly Hills, California and in New York within Manhattan and Brooklyn.”
Here are the main changes directly from Electrify America:
A Customer-Centric Charging Experience
With some of the new showcase stations featuring up to 20 ultra-fast DC chargers, the company is looking to add a number of options at various locations including:
- Customer lounges, electric vehicle showcase areas, dedicated event space
- Overhead solar canopies to shield customers from the sun and inclement weather
- On-site security cameras and additional lighting
- Charging stations located at select shopping locations may offer valet charging and curbside delivery options
Solar Awnings
Electrify America is currently adding solar awnings to 400-500 individual chargers at 100 charging stations across the country. In addition to providing shelter from the sun and weather elements, the energy captured by the solar awnings will be utilized to help power the station’s operations.
The company has already installed solar canopies at its flagship charging stations in Baker and Santa Clara, CA. The solar energy from these solar canopies is also routed to the onsite battery energy storage systems onsite, capturing energy to help charge electric vehicles.
Next-Generation Charger
Electrify America will also begin the rollout of a redesigned electric vehicle charger with functional and design features to simplify the customer experience. The ultra-fast chargers with up to 150 and 350 kilowatts of charging power will keep Electrify America’s iconic green glow that customers have come to recognize and embrace, and continue to stand at an easily recognizable at 8 feet tall. The next-generation charger will also feature:
- An all-new design that refines the look and reduces the footprint of the charger
- A recessed and brighter HMI (human-machine interface) screen to help reduce the glare from sunlight making it easier for customers to view the operational instructions and charging progress
- A single connector cable with an all-new cable management system to ease the effort to plug in the cable no matter where the charging port resides on a customer’s EV
- A reduced footprint of both the charger and power cabinets will allow installation of more equipment in space constrained, urban locations.
Deploying More Than 150 Onsite Battery Energy Systems
The company’s new charging station design vision is focused on marrying the latest technology innovations with a true customer-focused experience. New station design is integrating energy and cost-saving technology to help improve efficiency and make the charging experience more simple, fast and comfortable than ever before. By expanding the deployment of onsite battery energy storage systems (BESS) to more than 150 stations, the company continues to build on previous investments to help manage the energy load to the grid and capture excess solar energy where possible.
“The momentum moving us closer to an electric transportation system is accelerating with consumers finding more and more choices of EVs from virtually every manufacturer,” Palazzo said. “Our customer research shows the need to transition to a charging experience that is more inviting and accommodating to the human experience with waiting areas and other conveniences.”
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