EVgo announces ‘ReNew’ maintenance program to upgrade and replace hundreds of chargers

Published

2 years ago

January 12, 2023

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EV charging network EVgo announced a new maintenance program today that will roll out upgrades, replacements, and even the retiring of hundreds of chargers across the US. The new “EVgo ReNew” program looks to improve the fast charging experience for its customers by “doubling down” on charger reliability.

Since its founding thirteen years ago, EVgo ($EVGO) has become one of the United States’ more prominent public EV fast charging networks. It is currently touting 850 charging locations that serve over sixty metropolitan areas across more than thirty states.

By adding capabilities like Plug & Charge for certain EV models and numerous free charging programs for new vehicle purchases, EVgo has put a keen focus on customer service. However, as many of you drivers know, just because a given charger shows up in your app or on your EV’s center screen does not ensure it is operational – or at the very least, delivering the charge rates it should.

With hundreds of fast chargers in operation across the US, each consisting of various levels of technology, EVgo is tasked with making sure each is up and running to its fullest capability to ensure you can cruise in, replenish, and be on your way, but that’s no small task.

To help guarantee it can deliver the quality of charging network it advertises, EVgo has introduced a new maintenance program called “EVgo ReNew” – you can learn more about it in the video below.

EVgo doubles down on quality chargers with new program

The charging network shared details of its EVgo ReNew program today, which will include an overhaul of hundreds of EV chargers throughout 2023. EVgo states that the goal of the new program is to not only enhance the quality of its chargers but to instill more confidence in its network for EV drivers.

The ReNew program is built around six pillars that EVgo says make up the core of network reliability:

Prevention
Diagnostics
Rapid response
Analysis
Resilience
Continuous customer service

To begin, EVgo intends to evaluate each site based on its historical charger performance and current and forecasted user demand, then compare its location to the proximity to other fast chargers. Wherever possible, the company says it will install new chargers capable of power levels up to 350 kW.

In addition to replacing dated charging equipment, EVgo plans to implement more in-person preventive health checks while simultaneously bolstering system monitoring, diagnostics, and recovery tools. EVgo CEO Cathy Zoi spoke to the new program and the company’s goals:

More than a decade ago, EVgo was one of the first companies to install public fast chargers. The EVgo ReNew program represents our ongoing dedication to reliability as we proactively modernize legacy infrastructure and work to deliver the consistent, high-quality charging experience customers expect across our network. As more EVs come to market with expanded ranges, large battery packs and higher power charging capabilities, EVgo is invested in building and maintaining a charging network fit to welcome and support an all-electric future for every driver.

EVgo relayed that it replaced, removed, or upgraded 125 different EV chargers through the first three quarters of 2022 and intends to evaluate and upgrade many more in 2023 under the new program. You can watch EVgo’s video introducing the ReNew program below, which includes commentary from Zoi herself.

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Cybertruck backlog runs out, Model S gets stuck, GM hits a sales milestone

Published

5 hours ago

November 5, 2024

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Cybertruck backlog runs out, Model S gets stuck, GM hits a sales milestone

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, Tesla’s Cybertruck is now available in Canada – and, like in the US, there’s no waiting! Plus, we’ve got an “actually” smart summon Tesla that’s actually stuck, GM reaches a sales milestone, and we get a brand-new title sponsor!

Today’s episode is the first with our new title sponsor, BLUETTI – a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems.

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New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonusLucid proves than an EV company can keep its promises while Xiaomi teams up with Chevrolet and Honda to prove – at least conceptually – that records are made to be broken. audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

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This ‘supercharger on wheels’ brings fast charging to you [update]

Published

7 hours ago

November 4, 2024

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This 'supercharger on wheels' brings fast charging to you [update]

Mobile car care company Yoshi Mobility launched a DC fast charging EV mobile unit that it likens to “a supercharger on wheels.”

November 4, 2024 update: Yoshi Mobility will only be charging EVs on the side of the road now – it announced today that it’s selling its fleet fueling operation to EZFill Holdings (Nasdaq: EZFL).

It was originally founded as a direct-to-consumer, mobile fueling business in 2016, but now it’s going to focus on mobile EV charging, virtual vehicle inspections for partners like Uber and Turo, and onsite preventative maintenance.

Bryan Frist, Yoshi Mobility’s CEO & cofounder, said, “By spinning off our fuel business and focusing all of our energy on solving hair-on-fire problems that fleet owners face, we are meeting the changing needs of enterprise customers while making the future of transportation safer, cleaner, and more sustainable.”

May 22, 2024: Yoshi Mobility saw that its existing customers needed mobile EV charging in places where infrastructure has yet to be installed, so the Nashville-based company decided to bring the mountain to Moses.

“We recognized a demand among our customers for convenient daily charging, reliable private charging networks, and proper charging infrastructure to support their fleet vehicles as they transition to electric,” said Dan Hunter, Yoshi Mobility’s chief EV officer and cofounder.

The company says its 240 kW mobile DC fast charger, which can turn “any EV” into a mobile charging unit, is the first fully electric mobile charger available. It can provide multiple charges in a single trip but doesn’t detail how they charge the DC fast charger or who manufactured it. (I asked for more details, and they replied that they won’t disclose client names or the manufacturer of its DC fast charger yet.)

Yoshi is launching its mobile charger on two GM BrightDrop Zevo 600s and will introduce additional vehicles throughout 2024. It aims for full commercialization by Q1 2025. (I wonder if the Zevo 600 ever charges itself? Yes, I asked that too.)

Yoshi Mobility says it’s already deployed its EV charging solutions to service “major OEMs, autonomous vehicle companies, and rideshare operators” across the US. Its initial customers are made up of large EV operators managing “hundreds” of light-duty vehicles requiring up to 1 megawatt of energy per day that don’t yet have grid-connected EV chargers. I’ve asked Yoshi for details of who it’s working with, and will update if they share that info.

The company says pricing is based on location and enterprise charging needs. Once under contract for service, the service will be deployed to US-based customers within 10 days.

To date, Yoshi Mobility has raised more than $60 million, with investments from GM Ventures, Bridgestone, ExxonMobil, and Y-Combinator in Silicon Valley.

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Marqeta shares plunge more than 30% on big forecast miss

Published

7 hours ago

November 4, 2024

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Marqeta shares plunge more than 30% on big forecast miss

Marqeta celebrates its initial public offering at the Nasdaq on June 9, 2021.

Source: The Nasdaq

Marqeta shares tumbled more than 30% in extended trading on Monday after the company issued weaker-than-expected guidance for the fourth quarter.

Here’s how the company did compared with Wall Street estimates, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Loss per share: 6 cents adjusted vs. a loss of 5 cents expected
Revenue: $128 million vs. $128.1 million expected

While third-quarter results showed a slight disappointment on the top and bottom lines, Marqeta’s forecast for the current period was more concerning.

The payment processing firm said revenue in the fourth quarter will increase 10% to 12% from a year earlier. Analysts were looking for growth of more than 17%, according to LSEG.

Marqeta, which primarily functions as a card-issuing platform, attributed the guidance miss to “heightened scrutiny of the banking environment and specific customer program changes.” The company has been struggling for a while, and its stock is now down more than 80% from its peak in 2021, the year it went public. The stock was down 15% for the year prior to the report.

Total processing volume of $74 billion was up more than 30% from a year earlier. Net revenue and gross profit were up 18% and 24%, respectively.

Marqeta’s digital commerce business sells payment technology designed to detect potential fraud and ensure that money is properly routed. It also issues customized physical cards that look like a credit or debit card that can be used for point-of-sale purchases.

The company has been trying to break into the buy now, pay later business with a recently launched product called Marqeta Flex. The service brings BNPL from lenders such as Affirm or Klarna to any credit card wherever Mastercard and Visa are accepted.

“It’s an orchestration layer, but it’s tied to issuing and processing and disputes and chargebacks,” CEO Simon Khalaf told CNBC at Money2020 in Las Vegas last week. “So it is not actually a Wild West in BNPL. It is actually very well established. And there is a reason why a lot of people are jumping to it.”