When you turn up to a so-called quick charging station, looking for a short 15-20 minute top-up, are you able to immediately establish just how “quick” that station is?
Electrify America, which has 843 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the U.S., has approached its shortcomings and is relabeling its chargers to make it more clear how much power they offer.
EV charging can be somewhat confusing, especially for EV converts used to the regular/plus/premium gasoline world. With Electrify America offering new labeling, this will solve an issue that has had some motorists scratching their heads as they try to work out charging times.
The company’s chargers will be designated “ultra-fast” for power delivery of up to 150 kW (about nine miles of range per minute of charging, depending on the vehicle) or “hyper-fast” for up to 350 kW (about 20 miles of range per minute).
Ultra-fast chargers will have a teal label and two bolt icons, while hyper-fast gets green and three bolts. Some EVs can charge more quickly than others, meaning they would benefit from “hyper-fast,” while others would max out with “ultra-fast.”
In contrast, with over 30,000 charging stations in the U.S., Tesla’s Superchargers can charge at up to 250kW, enabling a 200-mile top-up in 15 minutes. Another added bonus is that your Tesla can direct you to the nearest Supercharger location and will suggest when you need to stop to charge based on your destination and available range.
OUR THOUGHTS
Anything that gives EV owners more confidence and peace of mind when driving and charging their cars is a win in my book. Relabeling its chargers to make it clearer how much power they offer is a smart move by Electrify America. Making the charging process clearer and less stressful is one sure way to elevate interest levels among gasoline-EV fence dwellers and can only lead to more EV sales.