In an effort to simplify electric vehicle charging, Electrify America will rename the 350 kilowatt (kW) chargers and 150 kilowatt chargers to Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast. 

The electric vehicle fast-charging station network is making the rebranding available across all charging providers to "help set a universal standard."

The Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast names will appear on newly redesigned labels on chargers across the Electrify America networks to convey available charge power. 

The new labels will feature two maximum power descriptions:

• Hyper-Fast: Indicates power delivery of up to 350 kW, which can provide about 20 miles of driving range per minute of charging depending on the EV’s charging capability. (Green label &  three bolt icons):

• Ultra-Fast: Indicates power delivery of up to 150 kW, which can provide about 9 miles of driving range per minute of charging depending on the EV’s charging capability. (Teal label & two bolt icons)      

“We want to help make the transition to EV charging easier by translating kilowatt ratings into simpler names like Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast with corresponding colors to help them make a selection at the charger,” said Robert Barrosa, senior director, sales, business development and marketing of Electrify America and Electrify Canada. “As EV sales continue to grow, it’s important that we continue to educate everyone on how easy public charging can be, ensuring consumer comfort with making the switch. It should not require a calculator to figure out what charger’s power output may best match the capabilities of their EV.”

The new labels now include connector icons that match the vehicle’s charging port as well as lightning bolts that signify the charger’s maximum power. More lightning bolts represent higher available kilowatts and therefore, potentially faster charging speeds depending on the capability of the EV.

The new naming convention and labels will be rolled out at all existing charging stations. Hyper-Fast and Ultra-Fast names and labels will also be added to its all-new next-generation chargers at new and existing charging stations to help reduce the complexity of picking the right charger.

Also being added for clarity is a label to guide membership payment with a callout to “tap your phone here to use membership plan” on the NFC reader and a convenient QR Code for drivers to access Electrify America educational material on electric vehicle charging and charging best practices.

Balanced chargers will also be added to the charging network. This technology will enable all “Balanced” Electrify America chargers to be capable of delivering 350 kilowatts, meaning drivers will no longer need to search for a dedicated Hyper-Fast 350 kW charger at a charging station to leverage those capabilities. 

Balanced chargers are typically located side-by-side and share a Power Cabinet. When a charger is Balanced, it can be ready to supply up to 150 kW of Ultra-Fast charging for vehicles capable of accepting this much power, and can provide up to Hyper-Fast 350 kW to capable vehicles when the adjacent charger is unused.

This Balanced technology distributes power amongst EVs during charging, as different EVs have different maximum charging limits.

For example, if two EVs are charging at the same time, each on Balanced chargers, but the first EV requires a much lower level of power, the chargers will Balance the energy dispensed to provide the maximum level of charging power that the lower-power vehicle will accept. At the same time, the second charger may allocate the remaining power to a second, higher-powered EV at the output that it can accept.

Electrify America chargers offering this feature will include a Balanced designation on the label along with the Hyper-Fast 350 kW indicator, so drivers can easily recognize this technology. Newly installed 350 kW Electrify America chargers will feature Balanced charging, while some existing chargers, especially those on highways, will continue to offer dedicated 350 kW power for drivers of EVs capable of charging at the highest speeds.

New labels will start to roll out this fall. The Balanced power technology will also appear at Electrify America’s new charging stations this fall and in 2023 on the Electrify Canada network.