Here’s What EVgo Is Doing to Improve Chargers Right Now

• EVgo has continued to modernize its network of chargers, introducing new hardware over the past two years.

• The charging network says it has boosted the number of stations that can host six EVs at a time by over 80% compared to 2023, and is working to add stations that can serve up to 10 EVs.

• EVgo has added cable signal detection, which keeps track of the charging cable, notifying the company when it is damaged.

If we had a quarter for every time we arrived at a non-working EV charging stall, we'd probably have enough quarters to find an old vending machine that still takes quarters, and buy enough cans of RC Cola to keep us awake for days on end.

EV charging while on a road trip remains a gamble in the best of times, but it feels like the year 2024 should offer a different experience compared to the year 2014 when it comes to reliability. Station builders aren't oblivious to the issues plenty of EV owners experience, but addressing them quickly has been a challenge for station owners and maintenance staff alike.

EVgo, as one of the country's largest charging networks, has been working on the next generation of the charging experience, and it's not only station reliability ratings that need to turn over a new page.

First of all, the network is building stations with more charging stalls, with the aim of increasing the number of stations that can serve six EVs at one time. EVgo says it has boosted the number of such stations by over 80% compared to 2023, and is also working to add locations that can host up to 10 vehicles at a time, with the aim of reducing lines during peak hours.

EVgo is also working on installing faster chargers, reporting a 115% increase in the number of stalls that offer 350-kW rates.

When it comes to reliability, the network has also rolled out Canary Model, which is an automated performance monitoring tool that can speed up field technician response time. EVgo has also added cable signal detection, which is a system that keeps track of the physical charging cable, alerting the company when it is damaged or simply dropped.

“EVgo's new performance monitoring tool, software updates, and ongoing equipment replacement and upgrade efforts are just some of the ways we are future proofing our fast charging network to satisfy customer demand and prepare for the growing number of EV drivers hitting the road," said said Dennis Kish, president of EVgo.

The company is also in the process of installing a new generation of charging stalls, having decommissioned, upgraded, or replaced equipment at over 500 stalls spanning 20 states since 2022, and plans to add higher power chargers at up to 150 stalls through the end of this year.

Streamlining payments via Autocharge+, which is a plug-and-charge function, has also grown over the past year, with EVgo reporting a 200% increase since the second quarter of 2023.

If there is still one item on the wish lists of many EV owners that will likely not materialize anytime soon, it is indoor stations with many of the amenities of gas station convenience stores.

To date, only a handful of such stations have been launched in the US by a variety of station builders, with several networks currently testing out new station concepts equipped with airline lounge-style accommodations.

But their number isn't expected to rapidly grow over the next few years, despite some high-profile showcases. If you haven't seen one by now, that's not entirely surprising, because there are still few stations of this type as EV station builders have wanted to avoid having a full-time staff to monitor charging and maintain indoor facilities. This role usually overlaps with that of a convenience store clerk in the world of internal combustion, but for complex business reasons it hasn't quite translated to the EV universe, even in traditional EV strongholds on the west coast.

Is the absence of on-site convenience stores an issue with EV stations, or have nearby shopping locations generally been able to fill this void? Let us know in the comments below.