At a time when electric vehicle (EV) companies are seeing unprecedented sales and the on-demand economy is trying to provide greener rideshare options, it becomes all the more important to hop on the battery-powered-auto bandwagon.
The aspects to be considered before owning a battery-fueled car are:
Operating range
Availability of hybrid options
Financial incentives
Availability of public charging stations
The last point is quite crucial since it could be a big deal breaker for your plans of owning an EV, especially if you like going on long rides. If you live in states like Idaho, New Mexico, or West Virginia, then be prepared to scour for a plug-in spot when you are on the road.
On the other hand, you can find at least one connector for every hundred miles of travel in a place like California.
With market forecasters predicting that every third vehicle sold will be an electric one by 2030, the charging-stations sector is all set to become a thriving one. So which companies are in the business of adding juice to your batteries, and are they available in your vicinity? Read on to find out!
Blink Charging
While Blink Charging doesn’t offer advanced home solutions, it more than makes up for it by opening up its public stations for non-members. In case you do decide to take a membership, a whole lot of discounts await you!
Owned and run by the Car Charging Group, they run a vast network of Level 2 and Level 3 charges in the country. They have successfully managed to retain their members with prices as low as $0.04 per minute for Level 2 chargers and $0.49 for Level 3 ones.
Home Setup Cost: $399 for a Level-2 Charger
Public Charger Cost: $7-$10 for a fast-charging session
Availability: 3,600+ plug-in points across the country
Chargepoint
Chargepoint has been clear about its ambitions from the outset and has managed to become the numero uno EV charger network that is owned independently. The company forged a pivotal VTOL charging solutions deal for enhancing Uber’s rideshare experience and is also encouraging store owners to offer plug-ins as an add-on. Another case in point is their recent collaboration with the National Association of Truck Stop Owners, which allows them to set up an additional 4,000 setups at prime locations near the freeways.
With the company planning to go public soon, the writing on the wall is that they will continue to rule the roost in the years to come. In the US, ChargePoint already has numerous DC chargers that can fill up your battery up to 80% within a matter of minutes.
Home Setup Cost: Residential Charger at $699
Public Charger Cost: Depends on the property owner
Availability: 18,000+ plug-in points across the country
Tesla
Since Elon Musk’s company owns the lion’s share of the EV market, it makes sense for them to be in the charging station business. From the very beginning, the automaker has focused on improving the density of its flagship Superchargers in populous areas while expanding the network to remote areas at the same time.
The company has nearly 2000 Supercharger Stations and upwards of 4500 destination chargers in North America, which is a delight for Tesla owners. What’s even better is the fact that their newest V3 line of stations offers nearly 75 miles of charge in just five minutes! Our verdict is that Tesla shows no signs of slowing down, and their Superchargers will continue to be the benchmark for other companies in the years to come.
Home Setup Cost: Wall Connector at $635
Public Charger Cost: $16 for up to 200 miles of range
Availability: 10,000+ plug-in points across the country
EVgo
EVgo was a pioneer among public car charging stations, but it picked up steam and became a major player only recently. After its 2016 takeover byVision Ridge Partners, it set up stations at over 800 locations, and this number is only increasing by the day.
A significant boost to EVgo’s business has come from a partnership with BMW wherein all their EVs can seamlessly navigate drivers to the company’s nearest charging station. On top of that, their business teams are actively reaching out to companies like Uber and Lyft to promote EV rideshare options.
Home Setup Cost: Unavailable
Public Charger Cost: $ 0.35 per minute for DC charging and $1.5 per hour for Level-2 ones
Availability: 1,000+ plug-in points across the country
Final Thoughts
Whether it is the on-demand economy or the domestic users’ segment, EVs are all set to revolutionize the industry with players. After all, what good is a battery-powered car if it isn’t a backed up by decent charging network! On that note, check out the list of cool things Tesla announced on their much anticipated Battery Day 2020 here.
