The electric vehicle market has skyrocketed in recent years, from just a few thousand vehicles in 2010 to more than 315,000 sold in 2020. According to Kelly Blue Book, electric vehicle sales in the second quarter of 2021 were up 255% year over year, and demand for electric vehicles is outpacing supply. In Arizona alone, there are nearly 29,000 registered electric vehicles as of June 2021 with roughly four EVs per 1,000 people, making it sixth nationwide for electric vehicle ownership. According to a recent report by CNBC, U.S. EV sales are forecast to exceed 1 million vehicles in 2025.
Even with Arizona’s sizable showing on EV adoption, the biggest challenge to greater adoption in Arizona is infrastructure, specifically the lack of readily available charging stations for EVs, and in particular in rural parts of the state. Currently, there are only 385 public fast-charging plugs and 1,448 non-fast-charging plugs in Arizona. Continued EV adoption is driving the need for charging, and if the installation of charging infrastructure does not accelerate, we could see EV adoption start to slow.
That’s where ChargePoint comes in. ChargePoint has designed an EV charging system with a fully integrated portfolio of hardware, cloud services and support for individuals, businesses, and entire fleets. The company, founded in 2007 and one of the oldest and largest EV charging networks, has more than 115,000 charging ports globally that are capable of charging every EV model on the road. It aims to increase that number to 2.5 million by 2025.
EV Charging Solutions for Individuals, Business and Fleets
For residential customers, ChargePoint’s Home Flex is a 240-volt Level 2 Energy Star certified home charger that delivers up to 50 amps of power. While most drivers will use 32 or 40 amps, using 48 or 50 delivers the fastest charge (hardwired installation and possible electrical upgrades required) and can add up to 37 miles of range per hour. An integrated ChargePoint app tracks charging, allows drivers to find charging stations away from home, schedule charging when energy is cheapest, and connect to smart home systems. ChargePoint even offers residential charging solutions suitable for apartments and condos, as well as a range of EV charging solutions for a range of commercial customers across industries, including hospitality, retail, healthcare, and entertainment and sports venues.
For customers contemplating fleet transition, ChargePoint provides a global fleet solution portfolio, including consultation and design/build services that can help guide site layout, construction and operational planning for scheduling, electricity use and charging optimization. For these customers, ChargePoint offers AC and DC fast charging solutions that enable customers to balance charging costs with operational readiness, from light- to heavy-duty vehicles and accounting for depot, on-route and at-home charging options that all integrate into ChargePoint’s fleet management software.
Innovative Partnerships for Sustainable Charging
ChargePoint’s overall commitment to sustainability and EV charging access is driving additional partnerships and innovation. For example, drivers now have expanded access to tens-of-thousands of additional places to charge beyond ChargePoint’s own infrastructure through roaming agreements and integrations in North America and Europe. And recently, Chargepoint announced a partnership with Sunnova, one of the leading residential solar and storage providers in the United States, to offer Sunnova customers solar-integrated residential EV charging solutions. Recognizing the increase in annual energy demand created by home charging, this partnership will allow customers to bundle a solar system and EV charger in a single purchase, with ChargePoint software embedded in customers’ personal Sunnova portal. Discussing the new partnership, Shankar Achanta, Senior Director of Adaptive Homes at Sunnova, said, “This new EV charging bundle gives homeowners the ability to power their vehicles with the clean energy produced right from their rooftops.”
Even with its extensive network of EV charging across the United States, ChargePoint understands the growing market demand as well as range anxiety that is still inhibiting greater EV adoption. As such, ChargePoint is working with the National Association of Truck Stop Operators on opportunities to expand EV charging infrastructure at truck stops, which serve both long- and medium-haul trucking as well as passenger cars.
ChargePoint describes itself as “100% focused on EV charging,” takes pride in its technology and contribution to achieving greater sustainability, and is looking ahead to the future. According to the company, ChargePoint drivers have already avoided 120 million gallons of gasoline and greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to planting over 11.7 million trees. ChargePoint is a perfect example of how technology and innovation can drive solutions for climate challenges.