Benchmarking specialist umlaut has awarded the “EV Charging Infrastructure Best-in-Test award to Electrify America for the second year in a row. The organization is now part of Accenture and Charged: Electric Vehicles Magazine. This was part of a larger evaluation of seven charging network providers by umlaut. Electrify America won by a 50-point margin because of the company excelling in two categories: digital platform and charging location, the form of which is viewed as one of its strengths.
“Electrify America appreciates this significant recognition for our charging network. Every day, our team is focused on providing customers with a convenient, reliable, and high-quality ultrafast charging experience,” said Giovanni Palazzo, President, and CEO of Electrify America. “To receive this honor from a highly regarded and independent testing company like umlaut is gratifying. Our goal is to provide a seamless EV charging experience for our customers.” Significant improvements have been made throughout Electrify America’s operations that helped it excel in key performance criteria identified by umlaut.
In the Digital Platform category, Electrify America excelled because of its well-maintained website that constantly publishes new content on its activities, business updates, and product enhancements. Regular updates to fix bugs on its app and provide a better experience have also been addressed by putting a team dedicated specifically for that purpose. The Electrify America app is also now accessible via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, meaning you’ll be able to access it through your car’s infotainment system. Fully transparent pricing is another key aspect that helped put Electrify America on top in the Digital Platform Category because its website and mobile app clearly show pricing based on your state. It even points out the differences between the company’s per minute or per kilowatt-hour rates, which are determined by the state you live in.
The charging locations of Electrify America’s charging stations also put it in the lead. They’re in areas close to major retail centers and thoroughfares and are well-lit because of the charger’s unique design. Additionally, they’re open 24 hours per day. The charging cords are also liquid-cooled and are long enough for every battery-electric vehicle. Some of the newer stations are also capable of doling out over 350 kW, enabling certain models like the Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Mercedes-Benz EQS, and Audi e-tron GT to DC charge at higher rates. Nearly every EV can charge at an Electrify America station since they all use the CCS DC charging connector. Some of the older locations also have the CHAdeMO standard for older EVs and plug-in hybrids like the Nissan Leaf and the outgoing Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
Should technical difficulty arise, Electrify America has a 24/7 technical hotline that can help you with everything from simple questions to troubleshooting specific issues. Customers also have multiple payment options via the Electrify America app, credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. EVs from multiple manufacturers also benefit from the Plug & Charge payment technology so all the driver needs to do is plug the vehicle in.
To date, Electrify America has over 800 EV charging stations with 3,500 individual DC chargers already up and running. California alone has 200 charging stations and 830 individual chargers. The company plans to increase its network to 1,800 charging stations making up 10,000 individual chargers across the United States and Canada by 2026.
