Drivers are used to waiting until the gas gauge is low, re-fueling quickly, and getting back on the road. But the old gas station paradigm won’t work for electric vehicles. For example, charging an electric vehicle will never be as fast as filling up with gas.

Romano: “And the reason is if you had a battery that was infinitely big and infinitely cheap and could take power infinitely fast, delivering all that energy to the car in five minutes would be a very daunting task.”

That’s Pasquale Romano, CEO of ChargePoint, an EV charging network. He says that even if it were possible, there would not be much need. If you just plug in your EV at the places you already park — like home, work, or the store — you’ll keep your battery charged.

It’s a change in mind-set, but many customers are still nervous about making out of town trips. So BMW and Volkswagen are teaming up with ChargePoint to install a network of high-speed charging stations along busy corridors on the east and west coasts.

Romano: “They’re trying to take away the last objection to making EV’s your only car.”

These stations charge an EV in 20 to 30 minutes while you grab a coffee or stretch your legs. Drivers may not need them often, but knowing they’re there could boost EV sales.

Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media.
Photos source: Chargepoint.

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BMW and Volkswagen team up to expand network of high-speed charging stations
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