Amidst the ongoing evolution of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, General Motors (GM) has taken significant strides to enhance charging facilities in Michigan, thanks to valuable insights gained from customer feedback. The automaker’s recent unveiling of an upgraded charging station reflects its commitment to addressing the challenges faced by EV drivers.
At a recent Automotive Press Association event held at a new fast-charging station in Warren, Michigan, GM and its partner EVgo demonstrated the improvements made based on customer complaints. Will Hotchkiss, GM Energy’s head of public charging, highlighted features like an overhead canopy for weather protection and acceptance of credit card payments as direct responses to user feedback.
“I don’t want to act like it’s all solved, and we have a long way to go,” Hotchkiss said. “We’re maybe in the third inning of a nine-inning ball game, but the flywheel is in motion.”
The company plans to invest over half a billion dollars in its charging partnerships by the end of the decade, aiming to establish more than 35,000 charging stations nationwide. For those hesitant about adopting EVs due to charging concerns, Hotchkiss assured that the current system is vastly improved compared to five years ago when GM first collaborated with EVgo at the same location.
“We’re learning through hard lessons what we need to do and meet the customer,” Hotchkiss added, emphasizing the importance of expanding charging stations in locations where customers can shop. “We’re not running from the reliability challenges out there or experience challenges. As we talk about [less than anticipated] EV adoption, this has given us time to go and fix those issues.”
Significant upgrades at the Warren charging site include:
- Twelve charging stalls, up from four.
- North American Charging Standard ports with 350 kW DC fast charging, the fastest level available in the U.S. and Europe. Learn more about DC fast charging.
- Pull-through lanes similar to gas stations, offering more maneuverability.
- An overhead canopy to shield drivers from the elements.
- Payment options through credit cards and GM’s smartphone app, following the launch of the Energy Pass feature in June.
How many more chargers to go?
GM’s collaboration with Tesla Inc. to utilize its extensive fast-charging network represents another significant advancement. While EVgo, GM’s partner for the latest system, also manages Tesla chargers through a white label partnership, GM has not disclosed the financial details of this arrangement.
Determining the exact number of chargers needed to adequately serve Michigan’s EV owners remains complex, according to Chris Boehm, GM Energy’s public charging program leader. The company relies on third-party data and its own research to assess acceptable distances from public charging stations, balancing these findings with the substantial costs of building large-scale public stations.
Currently, Michigan hosts 2,463 public EV charging stations, including those operated by Tesla Superchargers, ChargePoint, Electrify America, EVgo, and Blink, as reported by EVChargeMap.com.
Although GM has not specified a target number of chargers to meet projected demand by 2030, Boehm envisions a future where range anxiety is resolved. “I took my family on a charging trip to Traverse City to see ‘Is there enough charging?’ and that’s definitely not because I had to think about where I was going to charge next,” he noted. “For the general customer, you don’t want to have to think about where to charge; you just want to charge and get on your way.”
Original Story at www.freep.com