ChargePoint, which has over 30,000 EV charging stations in the US, has just announced its latest solution for those confused, annoyed and fed up with the rampant incompatibility that plagues the public EV charging network.
Dubbed Omni Port, the upcoming charging stations will ensure that any EV can charge in any parking space, regardless of the connector type and without the faff of an expensive additional cable.
This mix of hardware and software requires the EV owner to punch in the details of their vehicle via the app, which will then talk to the Omni Port station and ensure the correct connector is provided every time the user approaches a station to charge.
But even those not using the ChargePoint app can benefit, as there will be an option to simply select the required connector type on-screen and then tap to pay with credit and debit cards.
The issue, according to ChargePoint, is that there are more than 5.5 million EVs on North American roads, of which more than half are equipped with J1772 or CCS1 charging ports.
Despite most manufacturers attempting to align with Tesla’s NACS (North American Charging Standards) protocol, there are still many electric vehicles in regular use that either have to carry bulky connector adaptors to use a network – something Ford offered for free to its customers – or find alternative charging solutions.
Perhaps more importantly, ChargePoint’s clever connector-swapping tech also reduces bulk and will effectively do away with the gigantic charging cabinets we so often face that come complete with numerous cables that are often in awkward places and don’t reach the vehicle’s charging port.
ChargePoint says that Omni Port will start rolling out at the end of the year, with support for the fastest 800-volt charging architecture. It also says it can retrofit CP6000 and Express Plus Power Link 2000 stations with the Omni Port technology, helping to speed up the introduction.
Good news… unless you own CHAdeMO
Although ChargePoint’s innovation will be a welcome addition to the EV armory, it isn’t the first time we’ve seen connector-swapping technology at play.
In fact, Tesla unveiled its Magic Dock Supercharger system at the end of last year, which automatically adds a NACS to CCS or J177 adaptor when non-Tesla owners use the facilities.
The Omni Port system is essentially the same thing but in reverse – a fairly standard CCS connector that adds NACS, J1772 Level 2 and other AC and DC charging options at the point of charge.
However, owners of older electric vehicles, such as the first-generation Nissan Leaf, early Kia Soul EV models and some Mitsubishi pure electric and hybrids are being left in the dark, it seems.
The original CHAdeMO port, which was in a position to become an industry fast-charging standard in the very early days of EV adoption, is looking ever more likely to become extinct.
The Omni Port system won’t support it, Electrify America said it won’t install stations with it any more and even Nissan is phasing out the Leaf model in 2025, perhaps the last bastion of the aging technology.
Unless cheap CHAdeMO adaptors become readily available, it could be bad news for owners of perfectly useable second-hand Nissans, Kia and Mitsubishis.
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