Last Updated 2 years ago
Everybody is talking about the EV revolution and how much the automakers are investing in releasing new electric models. And not to mention the potential price war that the Chinese carmakers represent if their EV models enter the country.
But, the real question is: do we need more EV models in the market to fully transition electric cars and make Biden’s dream of achieving net zero emission in 2050 real?
Let’s face it, drivers in the U.S. are hesitant about EVs for more important reasons than just a few EV models available. Dead batteries during the winter, the charging stations close to our homes or offices, and the time it takes to charge a battery are stronger reasons to be unsure about getting an electric car.
Fortunately, there is one company that is working to solve the last two. Here we have all the details of their innovative solution that will sway you to consider getting an electric car soon.
But before we jump right into the solution, let’s talk about how big the problem is and why nobody has solved it…
There Are More Gas Stations Than Chargers in the U.S.
Chances are that when you drive on an interstate highway you will find more gas stations than charging stations. Right?
According to the NACS (the Association of Convenience and Fueling), there are more than 145k gas stations in the U.S. whereas there are only 61k charging stations in the country as of the day of this publication – there are way more gas stations!
No wonder why there is still a high number of Americans who do not trust electric cars. As reported by Reuters, more than 15 million new vehicles were sold last year in the U.S. and only 17% of them were electric cars and hybrids.
Let’s put it this way – we all know that filling up a 20-gallon gas tank takes an average of 3 minutes.
Now, let’s imagine you have an EV and you found a charging station. Do you know how long it will take to charge your battery? The U.S. Department of Transportation has the answer.
There Are Only 3 Different Types Of EV Chargers Right Now
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are 3 types of chargers:
- Charger Level 1:
- It can charge a car by connecting the charger to a household outlet (120 volts)
- Can take up to 50 hours to charge an electric vehicle from empty.
- Charger Level 2:
- It can be connected to a 240-volt outlet at your house or 208-volt for commercial locations.
- Can take up to 10 hours to charge an EV from empty.
- Direct Current Fast Charger:
- These are commonly installed in public stations.
- Can charge an EV from empty in up to 1 hour
With such high waiting times to charge an electric car, FreeWire is tackling this problem.
FreeWire’s Pursue To Charge EVs Faster Than Anyone
FreeWire is a company located in California, and they have developed Ultra-fast chargers. Their recent product, the Boost Charger 200 adds up to 200 miles of driving range in only 15 minutes.
This charger is capable of charging two cars at the same time, and FreeWire says that the installation is a matter of days, and it doesn’t require a utility upgrade. – Not only the charging but the installation is ultra-fast too!
But you might be wondering: how FreeWire plans to charge my EV? Well, they have started to partner with larger companies to distribute their charges across the country.
FreeWire And Its Expansion Plan
FreeWire is serious about expanding the public charging infrastructure and has announced a partnership with General Motors
With this partnership in 2024, GM Energy plans to offer the Boost Chargers (the Ultra Charging Stations) to the general public as part of its plans to make the charging stations more accessible to all.
This partnership is only going to benefit fleet owners for now. However, on their own FreeWire has retail options already available, so it will be a matter of time before we start seeing these ultra-fast chargers in the gas stations in our neighborhoods.
What do you think? Would you buy an EV if there were more ultra-charging stations available?