Electric vehicle adoption in the U.S., despite some recent softening of the market, continues to rise and as of the end of last year there were 3.3 million EVs on the road, up from 2 million in 2022 and 1.3 million in 2021, according to data tracking by Edmunds. Another half-million or so all-electric vehicles were sold to U.S. customers in the first five months of this year.
And while most EV owners lean on a home-based station as the main source to keep their batteries topped up, public infrastructure for electric-powered vehicles has also been growing by leaps and bounds to support expanding the range and convenience of operating an EV.
Along with the expanded use of public charging stations have come some unique challenges, and Utah startup EVject is aiming to ease worries, and some potentially hazardous situations, with a novel new product that allows drivers who are connected to a charging port to drive away without leaving their cars or disconnecting the umbilical.
Charging infrastructure on the rise
Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center reported there were over 61,000 publicly accessible Level 2 or DC electric vehicle charging stations in the U.S. as of February 2024, more than double the 29,000 public stations that were in operation at the end of 2020. For a little context and contrast, Pew also noted there are currently about 145,000 gasoline fueling stations across the country.
The growing use of electric vehicles has fueled the need for publicly accessible charging ports and, increasingly, EV drivers find themselves moored at those facilities waiting for their batteries to re-up. That can be an hour wait or more at a Level 2 or around 30 minutes at a DC fast charger, depending on the vehicle type and battery level at time of charging.
Those potentially long waits in the car are where EVject’s breakaway charger connection comes in. And it’s an idea born, in part, from tales of some scary situations.
Breakaway tech makes for quick getaways
In a Deseret News interview, EVject founders Kreg and Amanda Peeler said their novel breakaway connector design allows a driver to start their vehicle and drive away from a bad situation even while being tethered to a charging station.
Amanda Peeler said she had her own frightening moment at an isolated charging station but was able to simply drive away when a group of strangers approached her vehicle. The Peelers recounted other instances where stray wildlife, charger fires or weather conditions necessitated emergency exits by drivers plugged into charging ports.
Similar technology, the EVject founders noted, already exists at traditional gasoline fueling stations that typically have breakaway mechanisms at both the nozzle and pump end of fueling lines.
“Right now with EV station charging, things are where they were at 100 or more years ago with cars,” Amanda Peeler said. “Today, gas pumps have two different breakaways to allow people to just drive away in an emergency. We just want to create that same option during charging.”
The Peelers said the proliferation of EV charging stations has led to some of those facilities being located in out-of-the-way nooks, behind buildings or simply in the middle of nowhere. They note that in addition to unexpected events like a flash flood, wildlife encounter or charging station issues, there are over a million criminal incidents at parking garages, parking lots and gas stations each year.
“This product fits in with other things that are happening with the adoption of safety standards for charging stations,” Kreg Peeler said. “They are mandating lights and cameras and other safety features … and at some point breakaway connectors may also be required.”
Evolving EV safety standards
Amanda Peeler noted safety requirements are evolving as EV adoption continues to expand and, like the evolution of features required for combustion engined vehicles, the process is evolving.
“It’s not that different than seatbelts in the ‘60s,” she said. “Some carmakers started making them optional and eventually, they become a requirement.”
EVject, which launched about a year ago but went into full production this spring, has raised about $4 million in backing and is on the path to expanding its EVject connector to work with the various iterations of connector types.
Early on, the company ran into some issues with Tesla, after the Elon Musk-owned EV maker filed a legal action, claiming the EVject connector was having overheating issues. The Peelers said the claims were mostly unfounded, and after some collaborative communication with Tesla officials, the company made upgrades to their device and Tesla dropped its lawsuit.
While EVject is currently operating as a direct-to-consumer business, the company is working on licensing agreements with other accessory makers as well as auto manufacturers and expects the business model may eventually become an enterprise operation as EV makers adopt breakaway connectors as a standard feature on their vehicles.
The Peelers believe that shift may be on the near horizon.
“I think it’s just a matter of time,” Amanda Peeler said. “The manufacturers design EVs to protect the equipment, now we just need to protect the driver.”
