The Urgent Need to Improve and Expand EV Charging Networks

The reliability of public electric vehicle (EV) chargers in the US is hindering the transition away from gas-powered vehicles. While the government requires a 97% uptime for EV charging stations that receive funding, this measurement is simplistic and does not account for various issues that can prevent or slow down charging. The lack of comprehensive data on charger malfunctions makes it difficult for regulators to understand the root causes of the problem. Industry experts believe that improving overall quality and reliability will require more than just the uptime requirement. Efforts are being made by public-private partnerships, such as the ChargeX consortium, to address charging problems beyond uptime. Challenges include faulty installations, software glitches, external threats, and a shortage of trained EV charger installers.