Blocked bays and failed handshakes: many 'online' EV chargers are unusable
a day ago
- #infrastructure
- #reliability
- #EV charging
- Australia is investing A$40 million to expand public EV charging infrastructure, including fast and kerbside chargers.
- Current government metrics like 'uptime' (98%) only measure if chargers are online, not if they are functional, leading to reliability issues.
- Common problems include blocked chargers, payment system failures, vandalism, and failed digital handshakes between cars and chargers.
- Analysis of DC fast chargers in California shows uptime reports of 95–98%, but actual successful charging rates are only 75–83%.
- Public chargers are essential for apartment dwellers, long-distance drivers, and freight operators, who rely on them for daily use and travel.
- Better metrics and KPIs are needed, incorporating user reviews, telemetry data, audits, and predictive maintenance to improve reliability.
- Security measures like lighting, CCTV, and tamper-proof designs are crucial to prevent vandalism and theft, as seen in other countries.
- Adopting a comprehensive approach to charger reliability and security can boost driver confidence and accelerate the shift to EVs.