2021 Charging Networks: Expanding Their Reach and Making Electric Car Driving More Convenient

Want to know what’s making electric car driving even more convenient in 2021? The answer is the expansion of charging networks. More charging stations and faster charging times have made it easier than ever to drive an electric car. From urban centers to rural areas, charging networks are expanding their reach.

Summary:

What Are Charging Networks?

Charging networks are organizations that build and operate electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. They provide services to EV drivers such as convenient charging options and accurate information about stations through mobile apps.

These networks ensure that electric car drivers have a positive experience while charging their vehicles. Over the years, charging networks have increased in number and sophistication to meet the growing needs of EV drivers.

Charging Networks: Expanding their Reach

The most significant challenge to expanding the use of electric cars is the lack of charging options. The more charging stations available, the more feasible it is for drivers to cover long distances in their vehicles. Electric car manufacturers have realized this and are actively working to address the issue.

Since the electric car industry has noticed this issue, we can safely say that they have taken steps to correct it. There are charging networks that offer more than 50,000 charging stations all over North America, Europe, and Asia.

Just like Tesla’s own Supercharger network, several automotive manufacturers, and third-party independent organizations have joined the charging network game. Here are some of the top players in the industry and their services.

EVgo

EVgo is one of the fastest-growing EV charging networks in the United States. The company has more than 1,200 fast chargers across the country and plans to have an additional 2,500 by the end of 2025. EVgo is also known for offering flexible payment options and is the first network in the US to use a battery storage system to provide grid services.

ChargePoint

ChargePoint is one of the oldest EV charging networks in the market. It covers all US 50 states, as well as Canada and Mexico, with its 130,000 charging ports. ChargePoint provides multiple charging solutions for businesses and offers EV drivers one of the industry’s most comprehensive mobile apps to find charging stations.

Electrify America

Electrify America is Volkswagen’s charging network. It’s a relatively new network, but its fast charging station locations are expanding throughout the United States with 600 highway sites and 10,000 individual charging plugs.

Advantages of Expanding Charging Networks

Expanding charging networks offers multiple advantages to drivers of electric cars:

• Increased Availability: The more charging stations there are, the more accessible electric car driving becomes, especially in rural areas.
• Reduced range anxiety: Most EVs have a range of fewer than 300 miles. The more charging stations, the less drivers worry about running out of charge on the road, so we don't have to think twice about taking that long-haul road journey.
• Improved Public Perception: Expanding the charging network is one of the most significant steps towards the adoption of a low carbon transportation sector on a large scale.
• Built-In Revenue Stream: Charging stations provide proprietors of charging networks a built-in revenue stream. It is because most stations offer flexible payment options and various payment plans.

Key Takeaways

The expansion of charging networks is exciting news for the electric vehicle industry. More charging stations and faster charging times mean that electric car drivers are no longer limited in their mobility.

We can count on the continued expansion of charging networks as electric cars become more prevalent on the roads.