EV Brief 8/28/21 EV Brief 8/28/21

Electrify America App finally comes to Android Auto and Apple Carplay

The phone mirroring support brings control over charging sessions and navigate-to-charger functionality to in-car infotainment systems.

A rendering of Electrify America’s in-car app.

Android and Apple-based in-car integration for an EV charging app would seem a no brainer these days, especially since the vast majority of EVs out there, excluding Tesla support this phone-mirroring technology.

Electrify America has finally announced an in-car app, which allows users to:

Locate a Charger: Navigate to charging stations while on the move. The app also shows how many charging stations are nearby, how many of each type of chargers are at the station and which chargers are currently available/online.

Remote Start and Stop: Drivers can initiate or end a charge session through the vehicle infotainment screen.
View Plan Details: Drivers can access details of charging plans, including pricing and any free charging which may be included with the purchase of a vehicle.

The navigation functionality is particularly important, as many in-car navigation systems are still unable to offer the most up-to-date charger locations, or offer navigation to a destination via the fastest DC rapid chargers exclusively.

The ability to control the charging session and view plans and pricing through the car’s infotainment system is a nice feature to have, as this allows drivers to use their smartphone for other functions, and may allow customers to stay in their cars during inclement weather.

An electrify America solar powered canopy in Baker, California. Image: Electrify America

Brenna Corrigan, manager of brand & digital marketing at Electrify America stated “Electrify America is constantly striving to meet customers where they are and make the transition to EV driving as seamless as possible. With this expanded functionality, we are integrating essential charging station navigation information right into customers’ vehicles, helping them feel confident on the road.”

Electrify America currently has 2,700 individual chargers across 650 charging sites in the United States, and plans for an additional 1,800 ultra-rapid charging sites of between 150 kW and 350 kW by the end of 2025.

While the coverage of the network is admirable, Electrify America is still plagued by charging issues. These charging and communication faults are well documented online, with a number of prominent car reviewers showing that the network faces problems. There are also issues on the OEM side, with brand new EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E rejecting charger handshakes with Electrify America hardware. The reliability of a fast-charging network is key to increasing EV uptake and consumer confidence in EVs, so we hope that Electrify America can get on top of this problem.

Source: Electrify America

EV Brief 6/15/21 EV Brief 6/15/21

EVGateway to provide software for Revel New York City EV Charging Superhubs

Electric mobility company Revel, which recently announced plans to launch an all-electric rideshare service in New York City has also committed to building a network of EV fast-charging Superhubs across New York City to be powered by Tritium and EVGateway.

Revel’s first EV charging Superhub is expected to open in Brooklyn by July 2021. Images: Revel

An artists impression of Revel’s first Superhub.

Electric mobility company Revel, which recently announced plans to launch an all-electric rideshare service in New York City has also committed to building a network of EV fast-charging Superhubs across New York City.

The Network will be open to the public, and not limited to Revel’s rideshare drivers. Pricing has yet to be announced.

Partnering with Tritium and EvGateway, the sites will utilize Tritium’s newest modular RTM75 DC chargers, with specialized software provided by EVGateway.

"The EvGateway software can be customized for every client and charging requirement. To help facilitate the expansion of EV infrastructure, EvGateway offers solutions for any charging scenario (commercial, fleet, private, residential, employee, hotel, utility, parking lots, etc.). Revel's mission of advancing electrification closely aligns with EvGateway's philosophy of helping to shape a zero-emissions future," said EvGateway President Reddy Marri.

Revel's rideshare service is launching in Manhattan within the next few months, operating below 42nd Street initially. It will expand to other areas of the borough in 2022. 50 blue Tesla Model Ys will be specially outfitted to provide maximum passenger comfort, as well as safety for both drivers and passengers.

The first DC charging Superhub will be going live by July, and is located at 630 Flushing Avenue Williamsburg, on the site of the former Pfizer Building headquarters. It will consist of 30 stations capable of delivering 100 miles (161 km) of charge to vehicles in about 20 minutes, the company announced earlier this year. The chargers will be open to the public on a 24/7 basis and accessible to owners of any electric vehicle brand.

Source: Newswire

Revel’s rideshare Model Y will be modified to provide maximum passenger comfort.

EV Brief 4/30/21 EV Brief 4/30/21

Electrify America Opens its 600th EV Charging Station in the United States

It’s only taken three years for Electrify America to roll out 600 EV ultra-fast charging sites across the continental United States. That’s nearly 2,600 individual DC fast chargers, with Hawaii, South Dakota, Wyoming and Vermont to receive ultra-fast charging sites by early 2022. This follows the completion of two cross-continental routes completed late in 2020, from Jacksonville, FL to San Diego, CA via I-10 and I-8, and from Washington DC to Los Angeles, CA.

Electrify America charging site with solar canopy in Baker, California.

Electrify America’s cross-continental routes. Image: Electrify America

“With our rapid station deployment, we are on track to have 800 charging stations with about 3,500 chargers open or under development by the end of this year - delivering on our commitment to make EV driving easier and more accessible,” said Giovanni Palazzo, president and chief executive officer, Electrify America. “We’re proud to be on the forefront of expanding the nation’s EV charging infrastructure and are excited to see our continued growth, as we help meet EV demand and climate priorities set by the Administration.”

Electrify America is also continuing its rollout in states with a smaller population of EV drivers — and greater distances between metropolitan areas — such as Minnesota, Montana, and New Hampshire.

It’s network consists of 150kW DC chargers, which can add about 7.5 miles (12 kilometres) of battery range per minute for capable vehicles, while highway locations feature 150kW and 350kW chargers, which can add an estimated 23 miles (37 kilometres) of battery range per minute for capable vehicles.

The network isn’t perfect however, with a number of YouTubers and EV drivers experiencing multiple issues with charging on the network, from software to hardware, on vehicles such as Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, and Volkswagen’s ID.4. This is particularly ironic given Volkswagen’s involvement with the rollout of the Electrify America network. Charging station reliability is even more important than charging station ubiquity and and speed in our opinion, and is crucial to increasing the uptake of battery electric vehicles, and providing peace of mind to all current and prospective EV drivers.

EV Brief 3/29/21 EV Brief 3/29/21

Jeep announces 4xe Charging Network to provide EV charging stations

Hot on the heels of Rivian’s announcement of the Rivian Adventure Network, Jeep has partnered with Electrify America to roll out level 2 EV charging stations at Jeep Badge of Honor off-road trailheads around the United States.

The launch of these trailhead chargers coincide with the launch of the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid model, and the company states that they will support future fully electric Jeep models. Jeep 4xe charging stations are initially scheduled to open this spring at three of the most-popular off-road sites and icons for the Jeep brand – Moab, Utah; the Rubicon Trail in Pollock Pines, California; and Big Bear, California.

“Electrification opens a new chapter in the Jeep brand story, and it brings an entirely new level of excitement and enjoyment for our enthusiastic owners,” said Christian Meunier, Jeep Brand Chief Executive Officer – Stellantis. “Key to making Jeep brand the greenest SUV brand is assuring our owners can enjoy the benefits of electric propulsion wherever they go, including the most iconic off-road trails in the country.”

Jeep is working with leading public charging network Electrify America to establish the trailhead charging sites and install the charging equipment. Jeep 4xe owners will be able to login to unlock free charging via a custom mobile app by Electrify America, which also allows drivers to initiate and monitor their charging session.

“It is our goal to provide electric vehicle drivers with the freedom to get to where they want to go – whether it be on a highway or off-road – and we look forward to bringing Jeep enthusiasts along on the journey,” said Giovanni Palazzo, president and chief executive officer of Electrify America. “Through the customizable electric vehicle charging offerings of our Electrify Commercial B2B brand, we were able to work with Jeep to identify where their drivers will need charging access most, and make it a reality.”

The jeep Wrangler and an Electrify America solar charger

The Jeep 4xe Charging Network trailhead chargers will deliver Level 2 (240-volt) charging, meaning the 17 kilowatt-hour battery pack in the Jeep Wrangler 4xe can be fully recharged in about two hours, delivering up to 21 miles (33 km) of electric range.

The 4xe charging stations will be either directly connected to the power grid or use solar power to generate electricity, though the company has not stated exactly how much power will be generated by renewables.

We’re not certain how many hybrid Jeep owners would bother to plug in to charge while they’re off-roading or hiking, but it’s a small gesture towards Jeep’s—and Stellantis’—all electric future.

EV Brief 3/20/21 EV Brief 3/20/21

Porsche aims for faster charging, higher energy density batteries and own fast charging network

As part of the Volkswagen Group’s inaugural Battery Day presentation, Porsche revealed continuing research and development into high performance battery and charging technologies, including the replacement of graphite with silicone in battery cell anodes.

Battery Technology

"The battery cell is the combustion chamber of tomorrow," says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. "Our electrified high-performance sports and racing cars place the highest demands on battery technology. To meet these demands, Porsche needs special high-performance cells. Silicon has big potential."

Porsche’s Performance Battery Plus and 800V architecture as fitted to the Taycan Turbo.

An EV battery is made up of a few core components: the anode, cathode, separator, electrolyte, and one positive and one negative current collectors. Lithium ions are stored across both the cathode and anode, and the electrolyte carries these positively charged ions from the cathode to the anode during charging, and from the anode to the cathode during discharge (driving).

Porsche is looking at new battery cell chemistries to allow efficient operation in extreme temperatures, and to improve reliability and longevity in DC rapid charging. Porsche states that new batteries will begin testing in limited-production road vehicles and within their customer motorsport program. Porsche has also outlined a desire to ensure that there is a “completely European production chain for high-performance batteries”, implying a geopolitical need to avoid any reliance on dominant South Korean and Chinese cell providers LG Chem and CATL.

Battery modules in the Performance Battery Plus.

Porsche’s Own Charging Network

Porsche also announced plans to roll out a DC fast-charging network across important European autobahns, highways and motorways. Clearly looking to imitate Tesla’s Supercharger network—at least on a small scale—which provides industry-leading convenience and ease of use for Tesla owners, Porsche’s charging stations will feature six to twelve charging points, from 350kW and up.

The DC chargers at Porsche’s Leipzig customer centre could be a model for the company’s future highway chargers.

According to Blume, "An important prerequisite for electromobility is fast and convenient charging. That is why we are currently working on the details of a concept for our own fast-charging stations. We will select attractive locations for these in order to offer our customers the most comfortable and fastest long-distance travel experience possible."

Exact locations are not known at this stage, and plans outside Europe seem unlikely, but Porsche plans self-service lounge facilities with smartphone app access for its customers. These Porsche charging stations should complement the Ionity network nicely, and you can bet that the charging sites will feature Porsche’s usual high-end techno-minimalist look and feel. As the brand expands its electric offerings beyond the Taycan to the Macan and potentially the Cayenne by 2025, this rollout should quell future customers’ concerns about range anxiety, at least in Europe.