01-18 electric vehicle charging station

[Image above] Netherlands-based electric vehicle supply equipment company EVBox showcased some of their charging products and systems at CES 2023. Credit: Covestro, YouTube


With both state and federal governments finally settling into the new session, projects lined up last year can launch into action in 2023.

Infrastructure projects will be a main focus for many states due to the historic investments provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Among these projects, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program is one sure to affect a large swath of the U.S. population.

The NEVI Formula Program will provide nearly $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of electric vehicle charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, which are a national network for alternative fueling and electric vehicle charging infrastructure along national highway system corridors.

Last summer, states submitted plans for deploying the NEVI network within their respective jurisdictions. And already this year, some states started implementing their plan.

With rollout of the NEVI network, in addition to new tax credits for buyers of electric vehicles, the number of people buying electric vehicles is sure to increase. In turn, the pressure to innovate new charging systems will intensify as well. Luckily, there are plenty of charging solutions in the pipeline as showcased at CES 2023.

CES, or the Consumer Electronics Show, is said to be the world’s largest annual consumer technology trade show. It takes place each January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada.

This year, CES took place January 5–8 and welcomed more than 115,000 attendees and more than 3,200 exhibitors. During the four-day event, several key announcements were made regarding electric vehicle charging innovations. View the highlights below.

Amazon partners with EVgo to streamline charging process

On the first day of CES 2023, e-commerce giant Amazon announced it will partner with EVgo, a maker of electric vehicle charging systems, to streamline the process of locating, paying, and initiating recharging sessions at an EVgo station. The new service, which will be powered by Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, will reportedly connect drivers to more than 150,000 U.S. public charging stations through EVgo’s PlugShare map. It is scheduled for a late 2023 launch.

SparkCharge launches fleet services for mobile charging as a service

SparkCharge is a Massachusetts-based company that bills itself as the first company to create a mobile charging system. Their system, called Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS), allows users to request a portable battery charging unit be delivered to them wherever they are, be that at their home, work, or even a hotel while traveling.

On the first day of CES 2023, SparkCharge announced the launch of its new fleet services solution, which will allow fleet owners and operators to request charges for their vehicles through use of a centralized portal.

Credit: Electrek.co, YouTube

New charging products, systems, and components by Blink, EverCharge, and Skyworks

True to its December advanced promise, electric vehicle charging vendor Blink Charging Co. unveiled five new products at CES 2023 for a variety of automotive sectors, including retail, home, parking garage, and street charging.

  • The Vision charging system is a two-in-one solution that comes with two 80-amp, 19.2 kW ports that can charge simultaneously. It also features a 55-inch LCD screen for media displays.
  • The EQ 200 system, designed for European and South American markets, can fit into any location tailored for bidirectional, vehicle-to-grid systems.
  • The PQ 150 smart charging cable, targeted for the European residential charging market, offers 22 kW of power with no need for installation due to its portable design. It also is Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and SIM/GSM compatible.
  • Series 3 is designed for the Asia-Pacific and Latin American markets for two- and three-wheeler electric vehicles. It provides 15 amps of output for installation at small shops, residential, and commercial parking.
  • Series 9 is a 30 kW DC fast charger in a small footprint with an LCD touchscreen display for commercial charging sectors. It works with a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or 4G connection with remote monitoring.

In contrast to Blink’s range of products, EverCharge, a provider of electric vehicle charging devices and management systems, announced a single new charging system. Called COVE, this single-family home charging system is an addition to EverCharge’s current multifamily systems. It is designed to be integrated into any electrical supply and is compatible with all electric vehicles on the market.

Also unveiled at CES 2023 was a range of new electronic components by semiconductor manufacturing company Skyworks Solutions Inc. that are meant to help shorten recharge time for electric vehicles. These components include next-generation Si89xx isolated analog amplifiers, voltage sensors, and delta-sigma modulator devices.

Besides the new innovations highlighted above, many other companies attended CES 2023 to showcase their existing electric vehicle charging products and systems. Below is an interview with one such company, Netherlands-based electric vehicle supply equipment company EVBox.

Credit: Covestro, YouTube

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