5 Most Common Issues with Public EV Charging

About one in five electric vehicle charging sessions hits a snag, according to research from Harvard Business School.

Far more complex than gas pumps, EV charging stations rely on advanced technology with multiple points of interaction between vehicles and the charger’s hardware, software, and network.

Each point represents a potential hitch, but industry-leading charging solutions and proactive measures can head off trouble before it begins.

Here we look at five of the most common problems that can disrupt charging sessions and how Hypercharge stays ahead of them to offer a seamless charging experience.

Let’s get this one out of the way: Sometimes a charging hiccup is the result of a nuanced technical problem – and sometimes you just need more coffee.

In fairness, an unfamiliar app, faulty RFID card, or a charging plug that’s not securely in place can throw any driver for a loop.

Hypercharge charging stations and our Driver Mobile app have intuitive interfaces that make finding chargers, initiating charging session, and processing payments a breeze, and our Help Centre has all the info you need to get started with friction-free charging.

The great outdoors can be hard on chargers, exposing them to extreme heat, cold, snow, ice, and flooding.

Even under mild conditions, aging hardware parts may need replacing, software requires upgrades, and unexpected damage – from accidentally driving over a cable to deliberate vandalism – can take a charger offline.

With a Hypercharge Comprehensive Warranty, charging sites gain access to premium hardware parts, dispatch services, and priority on-site repairs.

You also get Proactev™ Station Monitoring, remote trouble shooting, and 24/7 phone support, so you can have full confidence in your chargers at all times.

When a charging session goes sideways, drivers may assume the charger is broken, but the reality is that each station is a small ecosystem that relies on flawless communication between the hardware, firmware, software, cloud services, driver’s app, and the vehicle itself.

One of the most common culprits is a poor Wi-Fi or cellular connection. With Managed Networking Services, Hypercharge expertly designs, installs, and maintains a local network infrastructure that’s tailored to each charging site for stable connections and maximum uptime. 

Hypercharge’s charging stations are also OCPP-compliant, which creates reliability across systems, reduces the risk of communication breakdowns, and ensures charging station owners aren’t locked in with a single network operator.

Whether the smart and sleek Hypercharge Halo Level 2 charger or the ultra-powerful Autel MaxiCharger DC fast charger, charging stations perform their best with ongoing preventative maintenance.

That includes keeping the chargers clean, regular visual inspections, firmware and software updates, and electrical checks.

Hypercharge helps new charging station owners and managers understand the ongoing needs of their chargers and connects them with trusted electricians who specialize in both installations and maintenance.

Proactev™ Station Monitoring keeps a close eye on all Hypercharge charging stations within our network, enabling rapid detection and swift action on any issue.

Faulty connector mechanisms are one of the biggest contributors to charging failures. This can be due to user error, a damaged plug, or a connecter that’s simply past its prime.

Without a secure lock, the charging station may not start, or it can stop unexpectedly. To confuse the issue, an unstable lock can sometimes produce an error message that suggests the charger itself isn’t functioning properly.

With user-friendly instructions, durable equipment, high maintenance standards, real-time monitoring, and 24/7 support, Hypercharge keeps mechanical issues like plug malfunctions from turning into major headaches.