Public EV charging networks face significant reliability challenges during peak travel seasons, with issues that may exacerbate due to increased demand. Key findings from recent studies and surveys include:
Core reliability issues
U.S. charging stations have an average 78% reliability score, meaning one in five chargers may malfunction during any given session. During peak periods, higher usage rates could strain aging hardware and software systems already prone to failure.
Main failure types
- Connectivity problems (55% of failures): Network authentication issues during payment or session initiation.
- Hardware/software faults (38%): Internal errors or unresponsive screens reported in 76% of hardware-related failures.
- Payment system failures: 23% of problematic sessions involved payment issues, including accepting payment without delivering a charge (19% of payment failures).
Network performance disparities
- Tesla Superchargers show 96% reliability (only 4% failure rate).
- Rivian Adventure Network follows closely with 95% reliability.
- Shell Recharge, EVgo, and Blink networks have 52-59% reliability (41-48% failure rates), making them particularly vulnerable during high-demand periods.
Peak season implications
Increased user load during holidays or travel surges may worsen existing vulnerabilities:
- Cascading failures at busy locations due to limited operational chargers.
- Payment bottlenecks from simultaneous authentication attempts.
- Extended downtime as repair teams face higher service request volumes.
Proactive maintenance and real-time monitoring are cited as critical improvements needed to address these challenges.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-reliable-are-the-charging-networks-during-peak-travel-seasons/
