In what’s being called an “industry first,” EV charger manufacturer ChargePoint Holdings is collaborating with intelligent power management company Eaton to streamline the charger deployment process in North America and Europe. The two want to develop new technology that can turn chargers, electrical infrastructure and engineering services into a self-described “one-stop shop” for the EV charging ecosystem.
While ChargePoint brings its cloud-based software platform and charging hardware to the table, Eaton has the expertise needed to manage EV site power requirements and optimize existing infrastructure. Previously, ChargePoint only built chargers but did not own and operate them; this partnership represents the next step in becoming an end-to-end EV charging provider. On Eaton’s side, it’s a further diversification of their eMobility services, which already include electric powertrains, inverters, power connections and more.
"Customers rely on Eaton to solve their toughest power management challenges. This game-changing partnership will help do just that for vehicle charging: bringing together trusted power distribution and EV charging solutions to simplify electrification at scale," said Paul Ryan, a general manager at Eaton.
The International Energy Agency projects that 60% of vehicles on the road could be electric by 2030, and the number of EVs on the road will grow 23% annually until 2035. However, a lack of charger availability is one of the most cited reasons why potential customers shy away from making the switch.
“ChargePoint’s partnership with Eaton will deliver innovation that addresses the biggest barriers to electrified transportation,” said Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint. “Together with Eaton we will create unprecedented value for institutions that deploy EV charging, accelerating electrification, and decarbonizing the planet in parallel.”
Alongside their turnkey solution goals, the companies also have plans to work on bidirectional charging and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) capabilities. With V2X, electric vehicles can charge and store electricity not just for themselves, but also to power homes, other cars, and even the grid.
