EVolve by FLO: Recent Episodes

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Electric vehicles (EVs) have skyrocketed in popularity over the past several years, but one key issue that remains is the reliability of charging networks. Charger accessibility is critical, and currently, at least one in five charging attempts fails EV drivers, according to J.D. Power research.

How can EV charging networks improve their uptime, or accessibility, to users?

On today’s episode of EVolve by FLO, host Gabrielle Bejarano speaks with Yann Benoit, Senior Director of Network Deployment and Operations, and Abel Zacharie, Senior Product Manager, both of FLO, to discuss why EV charging network uptime is important, what some of the barriers are to improving uptime, and strategies to combat these challenges.

Bejarano, Benoit, and Zacharie also discussed…

• Why uptime is important from a business perspective
• Challenges facing EV networks in terms of reliability and driver accessibility
• Common complaints of EV network downtime and how they can be prevented

Zacharie explained, “Here is the key. When a charger is broken or damaged or whatever, or even bumped into by a car, anything can happen. The key to reliability is the ability to detect that quickly so we can fix it quickly. That’s another challenge; how can we do that? And that could be the charger that detects itself automatically; it could be other things. It’s bigger than the charger itself.”

“Improving reliability is not a one-time job. We could say we have a high uptime and we’re above current standard, and our job is done. We don’t stop there. We don’t want to do that because we want the whole industry to get better. We’re thinking about the user and ultimately about the mobility revolution—that’s very important to us—and the climate,” Benoit summarized.

Yann Benoit is the Senior Director of Network Deployment and Operations at FLO. He earned a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from the TECCART Institute of Montréal and a B.A.Sc. in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from the School of Higher Technologies. His past roles include National Director, field services, implementation and service assurance, and various other management and supervisory roles at Bell.

Abel Zacharie is Senior Product Manager at FLO. He earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Universite Laval and achieved a certificate in marketing from Schulich School of Business at York University. His past roles include a series of positions at Prevost, including Director of Product Management.

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Gas stations can be found just about anywhere. They are abundant in many towns and cities across North America, and with more than 140,000 stations across the U.S., filling up your tank has never been so easy. However, with the use and production of electric vehicles on the rise, gas stations aren’t doing the job they were once designed for. But what charging systems do EV’s have, and will they ever be as prevalent as gas stations?

On the newest episode of EVolve powered by FLO, host Gabrielle Bejarano, chats with Edmund Leduc, Interactions Designer at FLO, and Alexander Forest, Network Deployment Program Director at FLO, to talk about developments in the EV charging world and how they separate themselves from traditional pump designs. The three discuss...

1) How EV’s recharging system is completely different from traditional combustion engine vehicles

2) The difference between the three current EV recharging systems and how the public will know what works for which

3) Why a more robust EV charging system is necessary in particular areas across North America

“There’s obviously different kind of chargers for different scenarios and I think the important thing is knowing when to use which one,” said Leduc.

“The goal, of course, is to continue to increase the available infrastructure that’s out in the world. That’s a big part of our mandate and a big part of our goal,” noted Forest.

Want to be part of the conversation? FLO wants to hear your thoughts on EV charging. Register for paid panels here: FLO EV Charging User Panel | User Interviews

Leduc has been with FLO for almost two years. Prior to his current role, Leduc worked as a Product Designer and UX Designer for RenoRun Inc., and ALDO Group, respectively. He is an Industrial and Product Design graduate of Université de Montreal.

Forest has been with FLO since March but has had a long history of infrastructure deployment experience. He works to ensure customers get the best customer experience using the FLO product.

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The buzz around going green and electric vehicles is rampant. Some states, like California, have already set lofty goals to eliminate new gas-car sales. Other states are following, but public opinion range from optimistic to frustrated. Recently a poll in Seattle showed that most oppose the gas-car ban, and demand for EVs is high.

Regardless of feeling, EVs are becoming more popular. Can the grid handle the impending demand? Experts from FLO, EV charging solution provider and network operator, weigh in on what it will take and what the future of more EVs could look like.

Gabrielle Bejarano discusses an EV-equipped grid with Nathan Yang, Chief Product Officer at FLO, and Matthieu Loos, Senior Technical Advisor at FLO. As the demand for EVs continues to grow, the demand for energy to run those EVs will also increase. In short, the grid will be able to handle it. Yang and Loos discuss the adjustments needed to prepare the grid, how it will benefit us, and harness the flexibility that EVs provide.

• Short-term solutions for preparing the grid will vary from region to region, as areas direct power that they have already invested in, like solar, hydro, and wind.
• The group converses about incentives that are in place to decrease stress on the grid and potential future incentives.
• The discussion zeros in on how standardization is needed to harness the flexibility of EVs.

In terms of the grid, “there’s a lot of FUD, fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the market,” said Yang. Loos considers EVs an expanding trend of electrification that the US has been adopting for a long time, with lights, appliances, and heating. “It brings a tremendous amount of flexibility to the grid that we need to leverage appropriately,” said Loos. The discussion forecasts brightness, “Imagine a future where the communication and exchange of power between the batteries in your home, between the devices of your home, between the grid is all standard and is all centralized, and they could all talk to each other,” said Yang. This flexibility would lead to a decarbonized future, better bounce back after natural disasters, and higher rates of self-sufficient areas.

Nathan Yang has been in the field for quite some time. In his role, he leads the engineering, project management, and design team. Matthieu Loos has a decade in the industry. His job is to ensure that FLO is working on cutting-edge technology.

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The EV market is growing with more government investment and auto manufacturers recognizing the increased user adoption of the technology. No longer a technology accessible for early adopters, EVs are fast becoming a realistic option for everyone. Cory Bullis, Senior Public Affairs Manager at FLO, and Gemma Trigueros, Designer UX at FLO, discussed this exciting time in the EV space and what communities are doing to provide accessible EV charging solutions for anyone who needs to plug in.

“There are all kinds of investments and policies getting actively designed at the federal, state, and local levels to help grow these markets,” Cory said. The US government recently signed legislation to provide $5-7.5 billion in funding for EV charging. And states and auto manufacturers are also investing billions in EV vehicles and infrastructure.

One of the challenges the EV industry faces in scalable adoption is infrastructure. Consumers want to know there is enough infrastructure, like charging stations, to accommodate their needs. “Even with the publicly available infrastructure that we have out there, there’s been a lot of problems with broken chargers not working for any number of reasons,” Cory said. “If we’re trying to convince people that they should be purchasing EVs, but when they charge, it is a frustrating experience; that’s going to dampen their interest.” Luckily, new legislation is coming in to improve uptime in EV charging infrastructure. Learn more about how California is paving the way with its EV charging Reliability Transparency Act, a bill Cory helped craft.

Equity is a primary concern for those who want to own an EV. “Not everyone has access to home charging,” Cory said. “Home charging, whether installed in your driveway or your garage, is generally considered the cheapest and most convenient option for charging. But not everyone has the privilege of that, especially people living in apartment complexes, or maybe they live in single-family homes that don’t have garages or driveways.” Addressing access to convenient EV charging is an equity issue that will accelerate EV adoption.

The solution for those who cannot charge their EVs at home is more available public charging stations. Gemma said she and her team are working hard to solve that challenge. “Our role here is asking where are we going to put those chargers to make life easier for EV drivers, so the option becomes easier for them.”

Designing EV charging experiences with an inclusive mind frame starts with asking questions to a wide range of drivers. Gemma worked on bringing more diversity to FLO’s panels—starting with women, who now make up a large portion of car purchasing decisions. She said female EV drivers typically bring different concerns to the table, including safety and accessibility, subjects Gemma strives to learn as much as possible about as a user experience designer.