More charging stations are being designed to double as promotional displays, offering ads and special offers for drivers while they wait for their electric vehicles to be recharged.
The new integrated charging stations from a trio of companies working together are expected to generate new revenue for participating businesses who recognize the potential of the captive audience. The number of EV charging stations is expected to grow as new government incentives prompt consumers to convert to electric vehicles. Many convenience stores are installing charging stations or exploring the option.
To that end, Palmer Digital Group, Samsung and IoTecha Corp. have released a new EV charging kiosk. Samsung makes the OH-series displays the electric chargers will use, while IoTecha offers advanced EV charging technology. Palmer Digital Group provides integrated content displays for the kiosk.
Creative content
“By partnering with Palmer Digital Group and IoTecha, we’re able to collaboratively create a unique environment that engages drivers on a deeper level while charging their vehicles. The marriage of captivating content with high-quality displays is revolutionizing the electric vehicle experience, and we’re just getting started,” said David Phelps, head of product management, display division at Samsung Electronics America.
“The electric-vehicle industry is experiencing tremendous growth, and as adoption continues to increase, we’re thrilled to play a key role in making chargers a destination for drivers,” Phelps said.
This won't be the first attempt to add marketing content to chargers. Volta Inc., based in San Francisco, also provides a dual charging and media network. Shell's acquisition of this public tech company is pending.
Level 2 charging
While it won't be first to market, the trio's new charging kiosk is designed to meet growing demand for charging stations, as more drivers are expected to purchase EVs. The trio's charging kiosk is designed for level 2 chargers. It can be configured with one or two 80-amp charging points and Samsung OH55A displays. It has cameras, speakers, card readers and built-in cable retractors.
The companies said the kiosk is designed to deliver fast charging for Plug and Charge, smart charging and smart energy management. It has a maximum power of 19.2 kilowatts at 80 amps per charging port. A remote troubleshooting system resolves ISO/IEC 15118 interoperability problems for an improved charging experience, the companies said.
“This EV charging kiosk is a great example of a multi-stakeholder collaboration where industry leaders contributed their state-of-the-art technology to offer an EV charging solution with many types of customers, from businesses to end users, in mind,” said Oleg Logvinov, chief executive at IoTecha.
NEVI funding
The kiosk complies with National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) technical requirements and supports ISO 15118, OCPP and Plug and Charge. “By meeting these standards, businesses deploying the new charging kiosk may qualify for NEVI funding to further offset deployment costs and users are provided an improved charging experience.” Logvinov said.
Palmer Digital Group, based in Aurora, Illinois, designs and manufactures custom indoor and outdoor digital kiosks, display enclosures, drive-thru digital menu boards and EV charging kiosks in its 125,000-square-foot fabrication facility in Aurora, Illinois.
IoTecha, based in Cranbury, New Jersey, serves energy and power companies, charge point operators and manufacturers of both electric vehicles and EV charging stations. The IoT.ON platform integrates software, hardware and cloud components in charging infrastructure and power grids for electric vehicles.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, with U.S. offices in Ridgefield, New Jersey, is a global manufacturer of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions.
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