The Future of the EV Charging Industry in North America - Insights and Trends from EVS36

In this article, we will recount the key insights we learned from the event and give our unique perspective on each. They include: 

• The NACS connector   

• NEVI-compliant charging stations 

• Fast charging (DC)   

In 2023, global EV sales are projected to reach 18% of passenger vehicle sales — up from 14% last year. While this year-over-year growth might seem trivial to some, it marks a massive achievement for those in the electric mobility industry: we crossed the 16% tipping point for mass adoption. As a result, we feel 2023 is the year that electric vehicles enter the global mainstream.  

However, not all car markets are equal in their transition to electric mobility: While electric car sales in the United States increased 55% in 2022 to 8%, the US still lags behind both Europe (20%) and China (29%) for EV sales. Many of the reasons behind this are unique to North America, however some of the challenges the US will face in the next phase of its transition to electric mobility are similar to those in Europe.  

As a market leader in Europe’s mobility transition, headquartered in The Netherlands where 35% of car sales are electric, we at EVBox have experienced this phase of the mobility transition first-hand. At EVS36, we had the opportunity to share this unique perspective on this next phase of EV adoption with the North American electric mobility community as well as learn about the trends and technologies driving the market forward.

The North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector was one of the hottest topics at EVS36. Originally developed by Telsa as its connector for all its US vehicles, the company recently opened it for use to other charging network operators and vehicle manufacturers. Today, NACS is the most common charging connector in North America. In fact, and Tesla's Supercharging network has 60% more NACS posts than all the CCS-equipped networks in North America combined.

At EVS36, many EV charging companies announced plans to integrate the NACS connector with their charging stations and vehicles. For context, Ford, GM, Volvo, Polestar, Rivian and Mercedes-Benz have all agreed to adopt the connector as standard in North America. Our perspective: To convince more drivers to embrace electric mobility, it's essential to remove as many challenges when charging as possible. For this, a standard connector is essential. In Europe, standards were set for both AC and DC connectors by the European Commission in 2014. The North American market seems to be on its way to setting a standard as well.

Our plans: EVBox plans to add this connector to its North American product line as an option to make sure all EV drivers can use our charging stations with ease. 

Earlier this year, the White House announced its National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, which will invest $5 billion to create a network of 500,000, Made-in-America, EV charging stations across the US. With the industry eager to participate in NEVI, at EVS36 we saw many US manufacturers releasing or planning to release NEVI-compliant charging stations. 

So, what are some key requirements of NEVI? To receive up to NEVI funding on up to 80% of a project, the public charging network must meet the following requirements: 

To read all the NEVI requirements, check out the National Electric Vehicle Standards and Requirements. 

Our perspective: The White House’s goal is for 50% of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. That means a rapid growth in EV adoption amongst the public is essential in the next seven years. To make that happen, EV charging must become more reliable, accessible, and convenient than it is today. Several of NEVI’s requirements address these points directly and are something that we’ve also incorporated into our product DNA. We believe that this will help tip the scale in favor of driving electric for those consumers still on the fence.

Our plans: Thanks to our manufacturing facility in Libertyville, IL, we will be able to meet the FHWA Buy America standards. As such, EVBox plans to release NEVI-compliant charging stations in the second half of 2023. 

The US government’s ambition is to build a coast-to-coast network of direct current (DC) fast chargers and the NEVI Program is key to making that happen. In addition to the above points, one key requirement for NEVI is that all fast (DC) charging stations must have a power output of at least 150 kW per connector. As a result, demand for fast charging is surging and at EVS36, we saw many companies unveiling their fast-charging stations to keep up with this growing market.  

Our perspective: Fast charging is well known in Western Europe and almost two-thirds of EV drivers use fast charging on a regular basis. However, its rollout has been a case of chicken-and-egg: Many businesses held off investing in fast charging until there were more EVs on the road, but those drivers were waiting for more fast charging before going electric. The accessibility of reliable and fast DC charging stations will be key for hitting the White House’s 50% EV sales target by 2030. 

Our plan: EVBox has started pre-production on the EVBox Troniq Modular, our modular 90 - 240 kW DC fast-charging station, out of our Libertyville, IL facility. EVBox Troniq Modular will be UL certified and NEVI and Buy America compliant. Our initial plans are to produce roughly 200 EVBox Troniq Modular charging stations per week with ample expansion capacity to meet the rapidly growing North American customer demand. Based on the current order bank, deliveries are available as early as September. 

At EVS36, a trending topic was Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), an emerging technology with the potential to transform the way we manage energy. With the rise of EV adoption, our power grids need to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles requiring charging. V2G provides a solution by utilizing the energy storage capacity of EV batteries to balance fluctuations in energy demand. By temporarily delivering power back to the grid during peak times, EVs can help stabilize the grid and avoid costly infrastructure upgrades. 

V2G offers benefits for all stakeholders involved. For EV owners, it presents an opportunity to participate in energy markets and earn financial incentives for providing power back to the grid. Utility companies can leverage V2G to manage peak demand and integrate renewable energy sources more effectively. Additionally, V2G can enhance grid resilience, acting as a backup power source during emergencies or blackouts. 

Our plans: While V2G is still in the early stages of development, notable projects have demonstrated its potential. EVBox looks forward to advancements in V2G, and we’ll keep our finger on the pulse as we consistently innovate our product offering.  

To facilitate the global switch to electric mobility, we need to support the infrastructure behind it, such as installing publicly accessible charging stations and eliminating range anxiety. EVBox is proud to be at the forefront of this transition in North America. As an industry leader in EV charging, we provide the necessary infrastructure and tools to governments, companies, and individuals to help drive the transition to electric mobility. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to do the same in the US where we produce our charging management solutions out of our Libertyville, IL facility.