It's been a rough year for the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Both the excitement and the optimism surrounding EVs in 2022 have waned noticeably, with sales consistently falling short of expectations. Major automakers are now scaling back their ambitious growth plans and postponing new model launches.
Programs like Ford’s “Skunkworks,” aimed at cutting EV production costs, highlight that many in the auto industry are convinced affordability is the primary hurdle. And with an average price point of $60,000, the cost of EVs, particularly for lower-income households, is a factor. But it’s only part of the issue.
According to a report by McKinsey & Company, nearly half of current EV owners plan to switch back to gas-powered vehicles for their next purchase. Why? Concerns over the lack of public charging infrastructure. In fact, a 2023 poll by Yahoo! Finance and Ipsos revealed that 77% of respondents said the lack of public and residential charging options was the main reason they wouldn’t consider an EV.
Tesla understood the critical link between EV adoption and charging infrastructure from the start, using its early market position to set the standard. Today, Tesla still holds a dominant share of the EV market but hasn't escaped the industry's challenges. The company saw a dip in its 2024 auto sales, prompting a 10% workforce reduction. The sudden layoff of Tesla’s 500-member Supercharger team was especially shocking, given that it was their only profitable division. However, their quick rehiring indicated that the issue was more related to internal politics than market forces.
Given the overwhelming concern over charging access, it seems logical that expanding the EV charging network would lead to a surge in EV sales. Unfortunately, that assumption is overly simplistic; even electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) companies are feeling the strain.
Companies focused on high-speed charging, such as ChargePoint, EVGo, and others, are facing their own difficulties. Once-promising players like Tritium and Freewire have recently cut staff or announced potential closures. Enel X Way North America, the parent company of JuiceBox EV chargers, even shut down operations entirely in the U.S. and Canada.
Why? The main issue lies in their focus on high-speed chargers (50kW and above), which represents a relatively small and expensive market. Installing a single 50kW charger can cost upwards of $30,000, with total installation expenses often reaching closer to $100,000 when factoring in labor, materials, and infrastructure requirements.
Additionally, these high-speed chargers must connect to the grid, which introduces lengthy lead times due to engineering, permits, and utility planning—sometimes stretching over several years. On top of that, the inefficient use of power from these chargers places further strain on an already overburdened grid. Feeding these power-hungry chargers, especially during peak nighttime demand, requires the use of dirty fossil fuels. And getting away from fossil fuels is the main reason people want to drive an EV.
In short, these chargers are not cheap, they’re not green, and they’re not going to give you a green future. These hurdles are proving nearly impossible for most companies to overcome.
But while many in the industry are grappling with these obstacles, Enteligent is navigating a different path—and thriving.
Since launching in 2022, demand for Enteligent’s EV charging solutions has steadily grown, largely because we offer a faster, more cost-effective alternative that leverages locally generated solar power. Unlike alternating current (AC) powered charging infrastructure, which requires energy to be converted back and forth between AC and direct current (DC), Enteligent’s chargers operate natively on DC power. This is inherently compatible with green technologies like solar panels and battery storage. By eliminating the energy conversions, Enteligent’s solutions reduce energy loss by up to 25%.
When paired with a solar canopy and integrated into a DC microgrid, Enteligent’s DC-to-DC EV charger creates an ideal solution for fleet, public, and commercial charging sites with long dwell times. Drawing power directly from the microgrid rather than the electric grid means faster installation, reduced grid demand, and a greener, more sustainable energy model. The bidirectional capabilities of Enteligent’s chargers further enhance their value. In the event of a power outage, these chargers allow EVs to feed power back into the facility, ensuring business continuity—a feature that adds an extra layer of reliability.
Our vision is to transform parking lots into charging hubs, making charging a seamless part of daily life rather than a destination. By leveraging DC-based solutions, we reduce grid dependency and offer a cleaner, more sustainable charging model. Enteligent is driving the future of EVs.
