ALEXANDRIA, Va.—At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) tomorrow in Las Vegas, Blink plans to announce seven new charging products, including chargers for fleet, public and home use. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the EQXX, a new electric concept car that the automaker says will be able to travel 620 miles on a single charge, based on computer modeling.
Mercedes set a goal for half of its sales to be EVs by 2025 and virtually all electric by 2030. The automaker aims to produce a vehicle based on the EQXX technology in 2024, CNN reports.
One of the many barriers to widespread EV adoption in the U.S. is a lack of charging infrastructure. Blink is among several upstart firms looking to make charging more accessible.
Blink’s planned new public charging solutions include a compact DC Wall 50 kW fast charger that can be installed on a wall or as a pedestal, Electrek reports. It can charge two EVs at once. To use, drivers will need a Blink member card, credit card or mobile app.
Last month, Blink offered a hint of its plans, saying its new EV charging equipment would include both Level 2 and DC Fast Chargers and “offer next-generation EV charging technology across the EV ecosystem, including home, fleet, multifamily and retail locations.” Blink said it would also launch a new network and “mobile app that enable a more seamless, efficient, and affordable charging experience for fleets and consumers.”
The Blink EV charging network runs on cloud-based software that operates, maintains, and tracks all the Blink EV charging stations and the associated charging data; EV charging equipment; and EV related services.
A recent Convenience Matters podcast episode discusses how EVs are the future, and another episode explains how convenience retailers can attract and retain EV customers. A free NACS webinar helps retailers understand how EVs and environmentally conscious consumers will affect your business.