In this Article
Overnight Charging is Enough for Most
A driver can easily get more miles from an hour of level 2 charging while their light-duty EV is parked and plugged into a charger than the average person drives in a day. Most EV charging is Level 2 which provides about 25 miles of range per hour of charging. According to the 2021 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), the national average driving distance is 19.9 miles per day. This holds true both for drivers living in rural areas, who drive an average of 24.3 miles per day, and those in densely populated urban areas who drive 17.8 miles per day. The speed of modern DC fast charging (350 kW+) provides approximately 100-200+ miles of range per 30 minutes of charging.-Electric vehicle drivers will soon have greater access to convenient public high-speed EV charging stations. Nuvve Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: NVVE), a global leader in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, and WISE EV, a leading provider of sustainable energy solutions, have partnered to bring EV charging to more than 100 high-traffic locations across the country.
Nuvve and WISE EV partner to create convenient public EV charging station infrastructure in select markets across the US.
“We’re making EV adoption even more attractive to those with range anxiety,” said Gregory Poilasne, CEO of Nuvve. “These charging stations have added value because they will not only serve the immediate needs of EV drivers but also will provide essential grid services by integrating Nuvve’s V2G technology, stabilizing the electric grid during peak usage times.”
The announcement of the partnership comes ahead of the unveiling of plans for the first Nuvve and WISE EV charging stations as part of the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee Open House in Las Vegas. The event showcased this forward-looking approach to EV charging and provide an opportunity to see how EV charging infrastructure needs are evolving.
“This collaboration is about more than just technology; it’s about bringing together two companies with a shared vision to fill the void in EV charging deserts throughout the country,” said Kevin Williams, President/CEO of WISE EV. “This collaboration is a significant step forward in our mission to build a more resilient and sustainable energy future. The partnership marks a pivotal moment for both companies as we expand the reach, accessibility and impact of their technologies, creating a network of public chargers that will make a real difference for both underserved consumers and businesses.”
Thw event offers a first look at the cutting-edge fast-charging stations, which will roll out to more than 100 high-traffic areas, such as convenience stores, hotels, shopping malls, and other key locations in the coming years. Attendees will meet with industry and community leaders and see firsthand how Nuvve’s V2G technology and WISE EV’s innovative solutions are shaping the future of energy while driving economic activity in communities across the country.
Ford and TXU Free Credits for Charging
Ford Motor Company and TXU Energy, Texas’ leading retail electricity provider and subsidiary of Vistra (NYSE: VST), have teamed up to create a new retail energy offering for Ford electric SUV and truck customers in Texas. The TXU Energy Free EV Miles program offers participating Ford EV customers the opportunity to charge their vehicle entirely at home at essentially no cost during off-peak hours since approximately 80% of charging takes place at home. Participating Ford EV customers will get credit on their TXU Energy bill for all electricity used to charge their vehicle during the free off-peak charging hours, between 7 p.m. and 1 p.m. the next day, all year long.
Through the TXU Free EV Miles program, Ford aims to educate Texans about the perks of driving electric while incentivizing consumers to charge when demand on the grid is lower. The offer is designed for flexibility, giving participating customers up to 18 hours a day to charge at no cost. By scheduling through the Preferred Charge Times feature in the FordPass app or in-vehicle screen, Ford electric SUV and truck drivers can ensure charging only occurs within TXU Energy’s off-peak hours. If customers need to charge outside of the off-peak hours, they will pay a simple, fixed rate – the same rate as the rest of their home. With this foundation, Ford and TXU Energy will test customer interest in additional future retail electricity offerings that further incentivize customers to support grid stability in Texas, which was the third largest in electric vehicle sales nationwide in 2023.
“Encouraging our electric vehicle customers to charge at off-peak hours through programs like TXU Energy’s Free EV Miles helps to save them money while supporting a more sustainable, resilient electrical grid,” said Bill Crider, senior director, global charging and energy services, Ford Motor Company. “Ford electric vehicles generally have a lower operating and maintenance cost compared to gas-powered vehicles, and at-home charging and future vehicle-to-grid services offer additional financial perks never before possible, which Ford is committed to leading for our customers.”
The program enables Ford F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and Escape PHEV customers to benefit from bill credits, regardless of what hardware they use to charge their vehicle at home. When Ford drivers enroll in the Free EV Miles energy plan, they will also receive additional perks from both Ford and TXU Energy, including a $100 welcome bonus from Ford and a $250 bonus from TXU Energy for staying enrolled for a year. Once enrolled and verified, customers will receive automatic rebates for at-home charging costs during the off-peak charging hours.
“This partnership with Ford fits squarely into TXU Energy’s broader strategy of educating customers on the benefits of owning an EV, removing barriers to making the switch, and increasing grid resiliency,” said Sam Sen, vice president of energy transition solutions for TXU Energy. “We are proud to support Ford’s Texas EV customers with flexible, free charging hours and the significant cost savings that come with it.”
EVgo ReNew Customer Experience
EVgo Inc. (NASDAQ: EVGO) (“EVgo” or the “Company”), one of the nation’s largest public fast charging networks for electric vehicles (EVs), announced several significant network enhancements through EVgo ReNew™, the Company’s comprehensive program created to elevate the customer experience. In addition to network advances, EVgo has debuted the Canary Model™, a powerful performance monitoring tool designed to automatically identify and analyze patterns and support diagnostics, augmenting EVgo’s maintenance responses with data from actual charging sessions. Together, these updates are designed to strengthen EVgo’s position as the EV charging provider of choice amid a shifting competitive landscape.
“As the EV industry expands from early adopters to mass market consumers, EVgo’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class charging experience is more important than ever,” said Dennis Kish, President of EVgo. “EVgo’s new performance monitoring tool, software updates, and ongoing equipment replacement and upgrade efforts are just some of the ways we are future proofing our fast charging network to satisfy customer demand and prepare for the growing number of EV drivers hitting the road.”
EVgo’s ReNew program encompasses six pillars – Resilience, Prevention, Diagnostics, Rapid Response, Analysis, and Continuous Customer Service – that define the Company’s approach to reliability and customer experience. Below are the highlights of today’s announcement:
- Resilience
- ReNewed Equipment: Since the start of 2022, EVgo has upgraded, replaced or decommissioned legacy equipment at more than 500 stalls across over 20 states to better serve our customers.1 The Company plans to remove or replace legacy equipment with the most advanced models, installing higher power chargers where possible, at up to 150 additional EVgo owned stalls in 2024.
- More High Power Stalls: EVgo continues to deploy high-power fast charging, with the network seeing a more than 115% increase in the number of stalls served by 350kW chargers over the last year.2
- Larger Stations: EVgo has increased the number of sites capable of serving at least six vehicles by over 80% compared to last year and continues to identify more locations capable of serving up to 10 vehicles at a time.3
- Streamlined Payment: Sessions initiated via Autocharge+ in the second quarter of 2024 increased over 200% compared to the second quarter of 2023.
- Prevention, Diagnostics and Rapid Response
- New Performance Monitoring Tool: EVgo launched the Canary Model, an automated, data-driven tool, to expedite field service response time and enable the Company to address root cause issues more rapidly.
- Reduced Repair Timelines: EVgo reduced the mean time to repair chargers by 67% since the first quarter of 2023.
- Cable Signal Detection: EVgo updated charger software across its network to include round-the-clock cable signal monitoring. If a cable signal is lost—whether due to a drop, cable breakage or intentional damage—the Company is automatically notified within seconds.
- Connectivity Upgrades: EVgo upgraded charger antennae across its nationwide network, reducing internet connectivity downtime by almost half in the first two quarters of this year.
- Extensive Vehicle Interoperability Testing: To date, EVgo has performed interoperability testing on more than 70 EV models, including passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and light- to heavy-duty trucks. This continued focus on interoperability is critical to ensuring a flawless “handshake” between the vehicle and charging equipment, and the delivery of a seamless customer experience.
- Continuous Customer Service
- On-Screen Assistance: Earlier this year, EVgo updated its charger firmware to start rolling out detailed step-by-step charging instructions and progress bars on the majority of charger screens to help new EV drivers successfully navigate their first fast charge.
- Enhanced Language Support: Over 10% of calls to the EVgo’s customer support team are handled by Spanish-speaking representatives.
- More Charging Successes: Since January 2023, EVgo has seen a significant reduction in the percentage of charging sessions requiring call center assistance as more customers are successfully powering up on their first try.
In addition to progress achieved through the ReNew program, EVgo is also working to develop a next generation charging architecture designed to deliver new cost efficiencies and further elevate the customer experience with enhanced firmware. EVgo recently passed critical internal milestones for this development and expects to deploy this new architecture in the second half of 2026.
HYLA H2 Refueling in Santa Fe Springs
Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, via the HYLA brand, continues to deliver HYLA refueling solutions to support volume ramp-up for its Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in Southern Calif, just off of the 5 Freeway, one of the busiest truck routes in the U.S.
Located at 13443 Freeway Dr. in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., this new HYLA modular refueling station is located at Tom’s Truck Center, an important part of the Nikola sales and service dealer network. It begins operations today, and supports Nikola’s goal of 14 refueling solutions by year-end, reflecting a mix of HYLA and partner stations available for our customers.
Nikola continues to launch stations and deploy assets based on anticipated demand, with the main objective of staying ahead of hydrogen fuel cell electric truck deployment to ensure fueling solutions are ready and available for end fleets.
“Nikola is committed to leading the hydrogen revolution by collaborating with key industry partners to strengthen and expand our hydrogen supply chain. Our efforts to grow the HYLA refueling infrastructure underscore our dedication to meeting the rising demand for hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks and driving the transition to zero-emission transportation,” said President of Energy, Ole Hoefelmann. “We thank the City of Santa Fe Springs, the Santa Fe Springs Fire Department, and Tom’s Truck Center for their support in making this project a reality and advancing the HYLA hydrogen network.”
Complementing the infrastructure network is Nikola’s commitment to providing an exceptional customer experience, offering round-the-clock assistance through dedicated HYLA Ambassadors and Operation Technicians for seamless and efficient fueling.
“We are thrilled to be the first in the U.S. to offer a hydrogen refueling station onsite at our dealership to support the first wave of Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks now on the roads,” said Tom’s Truck Center President and CEO KC Heidler. “Working with Nikola to make this happen also fits in perfectly with Tom’s Truck Center’s long-term commitment to zero-emission transportation.”
The HYLA refueling network is structured to offer a diverse portfolio of solutions for Nikola’s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and additional Class 8 customers, including modular and permanent HYLA stations, “behind-the-fence” options, and partnerships such as with FirstElement Fuel in Oakland, Calif.
With the addition of the Santa Fe Springs station, Nikola is completing a crucial hydrogen fueling triangle in Southern Calif. This strategic location, together with its Ontario and Long Beach stations, now forms a robust network that spans multiple counties, serving a population of over 12 million.
EV Charging Improving
The public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure continues to be identified as a culprit in the unexpectedly slow adoption of EVs in the United States, but this year it is showing signs of improvement with overall satisfaction increasing for a second consecutive quarter. While the issue is a long way from being solved, the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study,SM released today, suggests the industry is on the right track despite continued challenges.
The number of public charging stations across the country continues to grow but hasn’t matched the rate of EV sales. During the past several years, the rise in the number of EVs per public charging station has contributed to a declining level of satisfaction with such chargers. This year, however, customer satisfaction with the two principal methods of public charging offers a hopeful sign.
In this year’s study, satisfaction with DC (direct current) fast chargers increases to 664 (on a 1,000-point scale), a 10-point increase from the same period in 2023. The rise is tempered by the finding that satisfaction with public Level 2 charging has declined to 614, which is 3 points lower than a year ago despite the recent quarterly improvements.
“While the customer satisfaction scores for public charging continue to prompt concern, the results offer reasons for optimism,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power. “Among users of Level 2 chargers, satisfaction improves in five of the 10 factors that make up overall satisfaction, and among DC fast charger users, satisfaction is up in six of the 10 categories. In addition, the overall indices have improved for the past two quarters. This indicates progress in many areas that EV owners care about, like the speed and availability of fast chargers and the convenience of having other things to do during longer Level 2 charging sessions.”
The fact that non-Tesla owners can now access the Tesla Supercharger network is one contributor to the increase in satisfaction with DC fast chargers. Previously, Tesla’s extensive network of its proprietary DC fast chargers was reserved exclusively for owners of Tesla vehicles but having qualified for access to multi-billion-dollar federal infrastructure funding has prompted the automaker to allow access to owners of other EVs. For the first time, the study has been able to quantify the effects, analyzing the responses of Tesla and non-Tesla EV owners in specific factors that influence satisfaction.
“Overall, both Tesla and non-Tesla owners find charging their vehicles at Tesla Supercharger facilities is most satisfying,” Gruber said. “Non-Tesla owners—like those with EVs from Ford or Rivian who now have access to the Supercharger network—appreciate the ability to charge at the broad network of Tesla chargers that was previously unavailable to them. Despite the recent influx of non-Tesla vehicles into the Supercharger facilities—which has caused some grumbling—Tesla owners still appreciate the ease of charging and ease of payment that the network offers. However, since the beginning of the year, J.D. Power has seen a decline in satisfaction with the availability of Superchargers among Tesla owners.”
Tesla owners remain satisfied with the Tesla Supercharger network, as evidenced by a score of 743, down just 2 points from 2023. Non-Tesla owners are not quite as satisfied when using a Tesla Supercharger (706), but that score is 42 points higher than the overall satisfaction with DC fast chargers. The biggest gaps between the satisfaction of Tesla and non-Tesla owners come in ease of payment and ease of charging. Tesla offers its owners a virtually automatic plug-and-pay ability not yet available to non-Tesla owners. Its Supercharger network is compatible with Tesla connectors, while current non-Tesla vehicles require the use of an adapter as part of the charging process.
Following are key findings of the 2024 study:
- Satisfaction with charging speed varies by charger type: EV owners seem to have less patience for Level 2 public charging, while simultaneously growing more satisfied with charging time at DC fast chargers. The attribute of speed of charging at Level 2 chargers has declined 4 points to 451 this year. EV owners are not especially happy with DC fast charger charge times either, but the attribute achieves a score of 622, up considerably from 588 in 2023. “DC fast charger speed is an important area of progress for the industry this year,” Gruber said. “All charge-point operators improve in this area, particularly some of the non-Tesla networks, which is good news for the developing charging landscape.”
- EV owners favor automatic payment: While those who drive conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles seem content to buy gasoline with a credit or debit card, EV owners are better satisfied by other payment methods. The most satisfying is using an automatic payment system, such as Plug & Charge, that identifies and authenticates the vehicle and connects it directly to billing, allowing EVs to connect to a charge point and immediately begin charging. Satisfaction for those systems is 886 for ease of payment and 806 for ease of charging. Satisfaction among owners who use a manufacturer’s mobile app is 860 for ease of payment and 787 for ease of charging. Satisfaction among EV owners using a credit or debit card is lowest in ease of use (631) and ease of charging (596). “The study shows that not only are fast charging sessions that utilize automatic payment systems more satisfying, but those sessions are also expedited by the streamlined process, saving EV owners precious time,” Gruber said. “Fast charging sessions utilizing automatic payment systems average 27 minutes in length, eight minutes faster than the extra steps required to pay with a credit or debit card, and seven minutes faster than third-party or charge point operator apps.”
- Non-charge visits remain an issue: The study finds that 19% of all EV owners say they visited a charger but were not able to charge their vehicle, a scant improvement of a single percentage point from 2023. Though the reasons for inability to charge vary somewhat by region, the predominant problem nationwide is the charger was out of service or just wouldn’t work, which affected 61% of the failed visits. Lack of charger availability and/or over-long wait times was an issue affecting 20% or more of EV owners who experienced failed charging visits in the Middle Atlantic, Pacific and East North Central regions. Damage to the cable or connector was another notable reason for a non-charge result, affecting 10% of owners who had a failed charging visit.
“While this year’s study points to hopeful signs that the industry is moving in the right direction, concerning issues remain,” Gruber said. “Too often public charging is not a satisfying experience for EV owners. One issue is sheer availability. Sadly, the growth of public chargers, and especially DC fast chargers that EV owners increasingly favor, is not keeping up with the number of EVs in service. Another concern is theft and vandalism. Some charger facilities are experiencing a high rate of cable damage or theft which, for example, account for 14% of charging failures in the Mountain region. This further exacerbates the issue.”
Study Rankings
Tesla Destination ranks highest among Level 2 charging stations, with a score of 658. Volta (645) ranks second and ChargePoint (626) ranks third.
Tesla Supercharger ranks highest among DC fast chargers for a fourth consecutive year, with a score of 731. Again, it is the only DC fast charger brand to rank above the segment average.
See the rank chart for each segment at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2024081.
The U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study, now in its fourth year, measures EV owners’ satisfaction with two types of public charge-point operators: Level 2 charging stations and DC fast charger stations. Satisfaction is measured across 10 factors (in order of importance): ease of charging; speed of charging; physical condition of charging station; availability of chargers; convenience of this location; things to do while charging; how safe you feel at this location; ease of finding this location; cost of charging; and ease of payment.
The study is driven by a collaboration with PlugShare, the leading EV driver app maker and research firm. The study examines consumer attitudes, behaviors and satisfaction, setting the standard for benchmarking the overall experience of public EV charging. Respondents included 9,605 owners of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The study was fielded from January through June 2024.///
Chemours Battery Innovation Center Opens in Delaware
The Chemours Company (Chemours) (NYSE: CC), a global leader in delivering innovative performance chemistry, announced the opening of the Chemours Battery Innovation Center (CBIC), a first-in-its-class laboratory facility located at the Chemours Discovery Hub in Newark, Delaware. A multi-million-dollar investment, the CBIC supports the testing and scaling of next generation battery technologies, to enable more sustainable, cost-effective, energy-efficient, and high-performing batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs).
“Chemours has a rich history of using our unmatched knowledge of chemistry to develop innovations that help solve our customers’ biggest challenges,” said Denise Dignam, President and Chief Executive Officer at Chemours. “The Chemours Battery Innovation Center is a state-of-the-art lab and investment in the long-term potential of improving the sustainability footprint and performance of hybrid and electric vehicle batteries. We are committed to supporting the electrification of the automotive industry through collaboration and putting our team’s deep technical expertise to work.”
“Delaware is on the cutting-edge of technology worldwide thanks in large part to investments like this, where Chemours has turned to the workforce around Newark to launch their state-of-the-art laboratory facility,” said Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. “I’m all charged up to see Delaware lead the way in battery innovations that will bring about a cleaner future.”
“Innovation is the Delaware way, and that’s exactly what we’re celebrating today,” said Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “Through this new, state-of-the-art Battery Innovation Center, Chemours is helping propel us closer toward actualizing a clean energy future for all.”
The CBIC leverages Chemours’ application development expertise to drive innovation in partnership with customers to scale production of more sustainable, high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LiBs). The facility will serve as a technical support lab for partners and customers to collaborate with Chemours’ engineers to iterate, pilot, and adopt novel approaches to fabricating cost-effective LiBs.
“Electric vehicles are an essential part of the clean energy transition, and Chemours is dedicated to applying our advanced chemistry and material science knowledge to accelerate the electric future,” said Gerardo Familiar, President of Advanced Performance Materials at Chemours. “For example, our Teflon™ fluoropolymer binders are vital in developing solvent-free battery electrode manufacturing, which unlocks the path for more cost-effective and energy-efficient vehicles. Through the Chemours Battery Innovation Center, we can enable the adoption and scalability of this novel dry electrode coating technology to advance the capabilities of LiBs and the electric vehicle industry.”
The CBIC’s state-of-the-art equipment and data analytics capabilities enable predictive modeling to help EV manufacturers adopt this novel battery manufacturing technology to make better-performing EVs a reality.
GreenPower 5 BEASTS in Cali
GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV: GPV) (“GreenPower”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced it will deliver five Type D BEAST all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses to two school districts in California this week.
“Delivery of our all-electric Type D BEAST school buses in California this week shows the continued preference for GreenPower’s purpose-built product in the marketplace,” said Paul Start, GreenPower Vice President of Sales – School Bus Group. “GreenPower remains the only OEM to manufacture both a Class 4 purpose-built Type A all-electric school bus in its Nano BEAST and a Type D all-electric, purpose-built school bus in its BEAST. This product combination allows school districts to meet its student transportation needs, all while taking full advantage of state incentives and programs.”
Of the five BEASTs to be delivered this week, four will go to the Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District and the fifth to the Terra Bella Union Elementary School District. “We are pleased that these school districts see the great health and safety benefits provided by GreenPower’s all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses in meeting the transportation needs of their students,” Start continued. “As with other school districts in California and across the nation, these schools have a mission of providing safe and efficient transportation to their students. GreenPower’s all-electric school buses provide that safe, sustainable and sensible transportation option that gets kids to and from school in a healthy environment prepared to learn.”
In addition to this week’s deliveries, in the next few weeks GreenPower plans to deliver up to four more Type D BEAST all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission school buses to California schools, and two BEASTs to schools in Oregon, with up to an additional 20 school buses expected to be delivered in California over the next 90 to 120 days.
GreenPower’s BEAST is a purpose-built 40-foot Type D all-electric, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 90 students. Designed from the ground up, it is a unified structure that features a seamlessly integrated aluminum body made from extruded aluminum manufactured by Constellium on a high strength steel Truss (bus) chassis. The complete flat floor design allows for tracking with no obstacles, and the high floors keep students out of the crash zone. Dual port charging is standard with Level 2 rates up to 19.2 kW and DC Fast Charging rates up to 85 kW. Wireless charging is also available as an option.
The Type D BEAST and Type A Nano BEAST are both eligible for California HVIP vouchers and qualify for grants under the California Zero-Emission School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) program. ZESBI grants pair zero-emission (ZE) school bus vehicle funding offered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), with charging infrastructure funding offered by the California Energy Commission (CEC). A total of $500 million is appropriated by Senate Bill (SB) 114 for ZESBI for Fiscal Year 2023-24. Of that amount, $375 million is allocated to support the replacement of old school buses with ZE school buses and $125 million is allocated to support complementary infrastructure and associated costs. ZESBI utilizes a joint application for vehicles and infrastructure. The joint application will close on Monday, September 30, 2024 at 5:00 pm Pacific Time.
Pioneer & SparkCharge
Pioneer Power Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPSI) (“Pioneer”, or the “Company”), a leader in the design, manufacture, service and integration of electrical power systems, distributed energy resources, power generation equipment and mobile electric vehicle (“EV”) charging solutions, today announced a groundbreaking collaboration with SparkCharge, Inc. (“SparkCharge”), an EV charging delivery service. Through this collaboration, Pioneer’s e-Boost, a leading off-grid, sustainable mobile EV charging solution, will be integrated with SparkCharge’s innovative mobile battery energy storage systems. This strategic partnership, one of the first in the industry, combines Pioneer’s e-Boost with SparkCharge’s EV Charging as a Service (“CaaS”) model with the goal of driving widespread adoption of mobile EV charging with battery energy storage. Together, they aim to unlock new value in the mobile EV charging market and accelerate
Initially, Pioneer has agreed to deliver up to 12 e-Boost rental units over the next 12 months beginning in the fourth quarter of 2024. Under the terms of the agreement, Pioneer will receive a per kilowatt hour usage fee in addition to a monthly rental fee. Pioneer and SparkCharge have also agreed to develop new innovative units to market, which will meld the on-site generating and power density of Pioneer’s e-Boost platform with SparkCharge’s zero emission, grid-free mobile battery technology. Pioneer and SparkCharge plan to market their platforms together for certain large fleet customers, providing customers with an integrated, power dense charging as a service offering.
Founded in 2017, SparkCharge is a trailblazer in mobile EV charging solutions and one of the earliest marketeers of CaaS. SparkCharge has been at the forefront of driving EV adoption across North America, boasting an industry-leading legacy in off-grid EV charging.
Joshua Aviv, Founder and CEO of SparkCharge, said, “By integrating our technology with Pioneer’s e-Boost technology, we are taking a significant leap forward in the mobile EV charging industry. This collaboration not only enhances our EV Charging-as-a-Service model, but also accelerates our shared vision of a more accessible and sustainable future for electric vehicle charge.”
Meanwhile, Pioneer’s e-Boost solution has experienced remarkable growth since launching in November 2021 with innovative off-grid, sustainable and on-demand EV charging solutions that cater to a diverse range of segments, including consumer vehicles, heavy-duty truck charging, electric transit buses, electric school buses and off road and leisure craft applications. Pioneer believes that collectively, these innovations have accelerated the transition to electric transportation, empowering countless customers to embrace a more sustainable future.
Pioneer believes that its use of SparkCharge’s equipment is poised to revolutionize the EV charging industry with a pioneering edge-to-grid EV charging hub concept, which Pioneer believes should set a new industry standard for speed and innovation, while lowering delivery costs. By boosting recharging efficiency, Pioneer aims to elevate customer reach and satisfaction, enabling the company to serve a growing customer base, which will drive up demand exponentially for additional e-Boost units to support this accelerating growth.
Leveraging Pioneer’s expertise in energy distribution and microgrid solutions, this partnership is expected to introduce a first-of-its-kind, mobile Distributed Energy Resource (“mDER”) that enhances edge-to-grid capabilities. Pioneer anticipates that this mDER offering will be particularly impactful for large customers seeking long-term, affordable and sustainable energy resilience. Moreover, the benefits of this solution are expected to extend to rural, disadvantaged and disaster recovery communities, where reliable and resilient energy access is crucial. Pioneer believes this is a game-changing solution that will dramatically accelerate EV adoption timelines, thereby enabling customers to achieve sustainability goals with unprecedented ease.
Josh Aviv, President and CEO of SparkCharge, commented, “Customers, especially fleets, often struggle with getting access to robust grid power in their EV transformation. A unifying, charging hub can provide a single source for all vehicle types to charge without a major investment in proprietary platforms and costly infrastructure. We believe our partnership with Pioneer will elevate our CaaS model while scaling our revenue with a solution that cannot be matched in the industry.”
Geo Murickan, President of Pioneer eMobility, added, “e-Boost’s partnership with SparkCharge illustrates our ongoing commitment to providing best-in-class solutions that empower customers and support our shared vision of driving the EV industry forward through innovation and collaboration. Together, we are not just addressing current market needs, we are shaping the future of technology in mobile EV charging.”
Furthermore, e-Boost and SparkCharge are committed to driving innovation in the mobile EV charging sector, leveraging their combined expertise in IoT technologies, extensive EV charging datasets and advanced analytics. By harnessing these capabilities, they aim to design and develop products that are not only more effective and efficient but also more sustainable, which would set new standards for the industry.
This novel collaboration between e-Boost and SparkCharge will be showcased on October 6, 2024, during GWRCCC, the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition’s 2024 Conference & Expo in Greenbelt, Maryland. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the future of EV charging and the expected transformative impact of this partnership on the industry.