Energy and Transportation Joint Office Endorses Unified Electric Vehicle Charging Connector Guidelines (SAE J3400)
The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation has recently announced new guidelines for apps to show real-time information about electric vehicle (EV) chargers, aiming to make charging more convenient and efficient for EV drivers.
These guidelines focus on key aspects of a good EV charging experience, including ease of finding, accessing, and using chargers. The Joint Office has collaborated with the SAE to develop the J3400 EV Coupler Recommended Practice, which aims to ensure that any electric vehicle can work with any charger, making long trips more feasible and safe for everyone.
In addition to this, the ChargeX Consortium, an industry group focused on enhancing the EV charging ecosystem, has defined key performance indicators (KPIs) for a quality EV charging experience from the consumer perspective. These KPIs cover six key components: finding a charger, accessing a charger, starting a charge, completing a charge, getting help, and feeling safe and comfortable.
The KPIs, as defined by the ChargeX Consortium, primarily revolve around metrics that ensure fast, reliable, and user-friendly charging. This includes charging speed and availability, uptime and reliability, user experience metrics, energy efficiency, and sustainability. While the specific KPIs explicitly defined by ChargeX Consortium are not detailed in the provided search results, these core aspects are generally critical KPIs they would adopt or promote to measure quality charging experience.
The Joint Office has also established a Standardized Protocol for Real-Time APIs to allow third-party developers to aggregate charging station data, further facilitating the process of finding and using EV chargers. This has led to a significant increase in the number of new public chargers, with around 1,000 new chargers being added every week between August 2023 and July 2024.
The addition of these new chargers was supported by the federal government, states, and private companies, reflecting a collective effort to improve EV infrastructure and promote the adoption of electric vehicles. The Joint Office also emphasizes the importance of making charging technology strong and secure, working with groups like the ChargeX Consortium to improve the safety of charging technology.
Recently, the ChargeX Consortium has shared tips to improve the safety of charging adapters, further contributing to the overall safety and reliability of EV charging. The report by the ChargeX Consortium provides objective benchmarks for charging suppliers and manufacturers, ensuring that the quality of EV chargers meets the high standards set by the industry.
For those interested in following the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation's focus on improving electric vehicle standards, more information can be found at driveelectric.gov. The federal minimum standards for network interoperability, as outlined in the J3400 standard, allow for any charging hardware to work on a different software network, further enhancing the convenience and accessibility of EV charging.
Technology plays a crucial role in improving the electric vehicle (EV) charging ecosystem as the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation works towards developing standardized protocols for real-time APIs, allowing third-party developers to aggregate charging station data. Additionally, the ChargeX Consortium, an industry group, defines key performance indicators (KPIs) for a quality EV charging experience, focusing on metrics that ensure fast, reliable, and user-friendly charging, ultimately promoting safety and sustainability in EV technology.
){kind=link}