To help make their chargers more easily identifiable, Electrify America and Electrify Canada are adding power names of “Hyper-Fast” and “Ultra-Fast” to their 350-kW chargers and 150-kW chargers, respectively. Newly redesigned labels will appear on chargers across both countries, as the company hopes the move will make it easier to understand the available charging power for the different types of chargers.
Hyper-Fast chargers will offer power delivery of up to 350 kW, which provides about 20 miles of driving range per minute, depending on your EV’s charging capability. Ultra-Fast chargers, which offer up to 150 kW, provide about nine miles of driving range per minute.
The move comes as a result of conducting user research and finding a need to simplify the terminology used on the chargers. The new labels will also feature connector icons that match the vehicle’s charging port, along with lightning bolts that signify the charger’s maximum power. Naturally, more lightning bolts mean higher charging power and potentially faster charging speeds, depending on the EV’s charging capability.
Expect to see the new labels at all existing charging stations in the near future, as well as Electrify America’s next-generation chargers. In addition to making its chargers more easily identifiable, you’ll also be seeing another label to guide membership payment. A “tap your phone here to use membership plan” will appear on the NFC reader, along with a QR Code that will send users to Electrify America or Electrify Canada’s educational material on EV charging.
Electrify America also announced new “Balanced” chargers that it will be adding to its network. Typically located side-by-side and sharing a Power Cabinet, Balanced chargers can supply up to 150 kW of charging and up to 350 kW when the adjacent charger is unused. Balanced technology is used to distribute power amongst EVs during charging, since different EVs have different maximum charging limits. Of course, these chargers will also have Balanced labels so drivers can easily recognize them.
To help understand the technology, Electrify America gave an example. If two EVs are charging simultaneously on a Balanced charger, but one EV requires a much lower level of power, the charger will provide the maximum level of charging power that the lower-power vehicle will accept. At the same time, the second charger will allocate the remaining power to a second, high-powered EV at the output it can accept.
Newly installed 350-kW Electrify America chargers will feature Balanced charging, while some existing chargers, especially those on highways, will continue to offer dedicated 350-kW charging power. Look for the new Balanced power technology to roll out starting this fall on Electrify America’s network, while Electrify Canada will start next year.
“We want to help make the transition to EV charging easier by translating kilowatt ratings into simpler names like Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast with corresponding colors to help them make a selection at the charger,” said Robert Barrosa, senior director, sales, business development and marketing of Electrify America and Electrify Canada. “As EV sales continue to grow, it’s important that we continue to educate everyone on how easy public charging can be, ensuring consumer comfort with making the switch. It should not require a calculator to figure out what charger’s power output may best match the capabilities of their EV.”
