The bad news about public EV charging is everywhere you look—from trade publications like Charged to consumer mags and local newspapers. The good news is that charging operators are well aware of the reliability problems, and are taking steps to address them.

In January, EVgo created a comprehensive maintenance program called EVgo ReNew, and has now announced that the program has delivered “significant progress” in six areas: resilience, prevention, diagnostics, rapid response, analysis, and continuous customer service.

Some of the company’s key initiatives:

• In the first two quarters of the year, EVgo upgraded, replaced or decommissioned legacy equipment at more than 120 stalls in key markets across the US.
• Nearly all EVgo stations put into operation this year feature 350 kW fast chargers.
• 95% of all new stations include at least four fast charging stalls, and 40% of stations under construction feature six or more.
• EVgo now offers its Autocharge+ streamlined payment feature (analogous to Plug & Charge) for 30 EV models.
• The company has implemented new tools that help predict potential issues to inform preventative maintenance cycles.
• A new inventory management system will increase the supply of high-use replacement components, such as charging cables, to expedite repair timelines.
• EVgo says it has cut the average station repair time in half over the last 12 months.
• In the first half of 2023, EVgo performed first-time interoperability testing on 14 EV models. The company explains that this testing is critical to ensuring a flawless handshake between the vehicle and the charging equipment.
• EVgo has made significant additions to its 24/7 EVgo Charging Crew to assist customers with questions, including staff with bilingual skills.
• A new team, the EVgo Roadrunners, replicates real customer scenarios in the field to help develop solutions for common charging issues.

“We launched EVgo ReNew because we know charging infrastructure reliability is key to strengthening consumer confidence in EVs and propelling the massive market transformation needed to achieve an electric future,” said Chief Operating Officer Dennis Kish. “EVgo is creating the fast charging network that all EV drivers deserve, and we’ll continue to bolster our network to help deliver a truly seamless customer experience.”

EVgo offers a range of educational resources for both EV drivers and charging providers. Charge Talk is a video series focused on answering EV drivers’ charging questions. The company has also launched dealership education pilots with two automaker partners to equip dealer staff with resources to support EV buyers. The Connect the Watts initiative includes a new best practice guide designed to help charging providers improve charger reliability, with a focus on codes and standards improvements, vehicle interoperability and more.

Source: EVgo