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Electric cars are rapidly rising in popularity across the American market, but there are still a lot of concerns regarding how viable these cars are for daily usage. A big reason for these doubts stems from the long charging times and lack of charging infrastructure EV owners have to deal with. This is a particularly annoying hindrance if you frequent long-distance driving journeys. Real-world tests also indicate that public charging is more than sufficient and cost-effective for EV ownership, even if you don’t have the pleasure of installing charging facilities at your place of residence.
Thankfully, there is a plethora of new and established EV charging companies that have already implemented sufficient infrastructure or are working on becoming a big player in the field. The EV charging infrastructure industry is a burgeoning and exciting one, introducing a lot of passionate innovators who hope to reduce the global carbon footprint and make EV ownership a more stress-free and enjoyable experience. These are 10 of the best EV charging companies that currently stand out for their advanced technologies and dedicated infrastructure plans.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various EV charging company websites and authoritative sources, including Electrek, MotorTrend, and Car and Driver. We have ranked the companies below based on how many Level Three DC fast chargers they currently have in operation.
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OPConnect is an electric charging company focusing on commercial vehicles and fleets. It offers charging stations and related services for businesses, municipalities, and other organizations looking to install EV charging infrastructure. OPConnect focuses on providing convenient and accessible charging options to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles. It currently has 28 fast chargers operating in the U.S.
OpConnect bases its operations in Portland, Oregon, and currently offers a modest network of Level Two and 28 Level Three DC charging stations equipped with SAE J1772 connectors. These chargers can operate four vehicles simultaneously, portraying impressive versatility. You can find its stations across several states, including Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. You can access ChargeHub’s charging station map, and you can easily make payments through a membership card, credit card, or email, although you don’t require a membership to access the network.
Blink Charging is a small power supply company dedicated to automotive electrification. It is an up-and-coming global provider of charging solutions, facilitating the transition to electric transportation for drivers and fleets. The EV charging network and private equipment form the bulk of its business, and garners some pretty impressive reviews for its durability and affordability, but it also deals in public charging services.
These networks utilize specialized cloud-based software to manage, maintain, and monitor the charging stations and associated data, with strategic partnerships established across various locations such as parking facilities, residences, workplaces, airports, and more.
The City of Frederick has appointed Blink to install 20 charging stations across four designated parking garages, namely East All Saints, Carroll Creek, Court Street, and West Patrick. These strategically placed stations will cater to residents without home charging options and city visitors.
Blink Charging’s partnership with the city aims to revolutionize transportation by expanding the EV charging infrastructure and introducing membership options for residents, ensuring convenient access to charging spots. It currently operates 154 fast chargers across the nation.
Most EV users know EVConnect for its household charging equipment, but it has a small network of fast chargers located throughout the country. The company’s founder began his career at AeroVironment, who is the country’s first manufacturer of EV fast-charging stations. He then left to form EVConnect in 2009, after noticing how site owners, parking lot managers, fleet operators, and utilities need charging stations.
Schneider Electric now owns the EVConnect business. This acquisition aims to grow the EV charging brand into a global competitor. Its latest project is a collaboration with General Motors, which lets the carmaker’s EV owners use EVConnect services without having to swipe or issue a payment. The company currently has 3,500 operational charging stations in the country, but they collectively only accommodate 183 DC fast chargers.
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EVCS is a mid-weight player in the electric car charging industry, with 194 locations around the U.S. It only offers 360 DC fast chargers across this network. It offers a unique charging system that appeals to EV users who cover long driving distances. For $200 a month, you get unlimited access to all of its charging stations, which would be a handy package if you need to charge your EV’s battery more than eight times a month.
EVCS has been at the forefront of automotive electric charging since its founders began operations in 2018. It has since built one of the largest and fastest-growing public EV charging networks in the U.S. Its mission, like many other charging companies, is to decarbonize transportation by promoting widespread consumer adoption of clean, carbon-free electric vehicles. EVCS partners with government agencies to provide site owners with a cost-free solution for deploying EV chargers, covering all capital and construction expenses and managing projects from start to finish.
Francis Energy is a relatively young EV charging supplier focusing on direct current fast charging across the Midwest. Its network consists of 154 stations housing a collective of 545 fast chargers, with an ambitious plan to extend across the country in the coming years. Like other suppliers, Francis Energy has a dedicated smartphone app. It’s a small-time charging business compared to its rivals, but its progress is impressive considering it began operations in 2015.
The Francis Oil and Gas company inspires Francis Energy. This was started by the founder’s great-grandfather in 1969. It began operations by developing stations in Oklahoma, but following comprehensive state funding, it was able to expand its reach across Alabama and New Mexico. It is currently working on growing its network even more, with new projects currently underway in Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Shell has been aggressively buying up smaller charging companies, including Greenlots and Volta, resulting in a rapidly increasing presence in the electric car world. Shell’s recharging infrastructure supports all plug connectors, making it a versatile charging option. Shell doesn’t disclose how many charging stations it has in the country, but it suggests the number is around 10,000, 3,000 of which you will find at its fuel stations.
With its Greenlots and Volta acquisitions, its total DC fast charger count currently sits at 582 stations across the country. For the sake of convenience, Shell also has a handy app that lets you identify stations on a map, track your EV’s charge status, and organize payments. Shell confirms it is working on a dramatic and aggressive plan to upscale its national and global charging infrastructures. It aims to have 500,000 stations active by 2025.
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ChargePoint currently has over 25,000 public charging stations in the U.S., making it the largest electric car charging service provider, but these only feature 1,800 fast chargers. It also operates the most expansive network of online personal chargers throughout 14 different countries. ChargePoint began its charging infrastructure business in 2017, when it bought over 9,800 charging stations from General Electric.
The brand has recently been working with Mercedes-Benz to construct 2,500 fast chargers at 400 charging hubs in the U.S. It intends for all of these chargers to be available to EV owners from varying manufacturers. Its most impressive charging station is the liquid-cooled modular 400 kW Express Plus Family charging system in Las Vegas. Its infrastructure supports multiple charging connectors, including Tesla’s.
EVgo is the third-biggest charging company in the U.S., consisting of more than 1,900 fast chargers and 29,000 Level Two chargers at its 950 locations. EVgo also owns Recargo, which developed the PlugShare charging application. EVgo is officially partnered with General Motors, but extends its services to almost all electric car manufacturers. EVgo offers a range of charging plans, ranging from a standard to an $11.99 per month PlusMax package. Each of these gives you access to different benefits, including charging discounts.
All EVgo stations feature CCS Combo 1 and CHAdeMO connectors, but some do feature Tesla plugs. Its charging speeds range between 50kW and 350 kW. The firm also signed a major deal with grocery retailer Meijer to expand its presence in the Midwest. The brand also offers discounts to Uber and has a long-running partnership with Hertz car rental, which lets EV renters access its facilities with special discounted rates.
Electrify America is the Volkswagen Group’s official charging network, currently consisting of 3,700 fast-charging connectors throughout its 850 national stations. These stations support CCS and CHAdeMO connector types, with plans to add NACS compatibility in 2025. The division also accommodates EVs from BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar VinFast, and Volvo. In most states, Electrify America will charge you for each kWh generated, but in Wyoming and Montana, you are charged based on the time your car has spent plugged in.
Electrify America supports commercial fast charging, including its Ultra Fast 150 kW and Hyper Fast 350 kW speeds. Its Level Two charging system operates at 50 kW. While Electrify America is a comprehensive and expansive charging network, we have to make mention of its past controversies involving a lack of reliability and maintenance at its stations. In some cases, its stations have been inoperable for months. The brand recognizes these issues and is committed to improving these flaws.
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Tesla currently leads the world in global and national charging infrastructure. The electric car manufacturer boasts a confirmed 50,000 Superchargers constructed globally. There are over 2,300 stations located nationwide with a combined 21,852 Supercharger connection points. You’ll find Tesla Superchargers along some of the most frequently used roads and highways, making them an extremely convenient and cost-effective service.
The Supercharger network also benefits from a Magic Dock connector, allowing EV owners of most manufacturers to access the network. Newcomers to the electric car sphere have started signing deals with Tesla to grant their cars access to its comprehensive network. Tesla Superchargers enjoy some of the fastest charging speeds that can reach up to 250 kW. The brand is working on software to increase this to 350 kW fairly soon. It’s worth noting that Tesla’s household charging equipment also returns some impressive reviews for usability, speed, and convenience.