By Kristen Spina 

As the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow among consumers, more and more businesses are recognizing the need for on-site EV charging infrastructure for both their clients’ needs as well as their employees’ needs.  

Current available technology, however, requires expensive and potentially disruptive construction involving removing sections of existing pavement in parking lots, drives, and sidewalks. This has been an issue for facility owners, causing them to be much slower to adapt to the changing market and provide the needed EV infrastructure—which in turn has been a deterrent for many consumers due to the lack of convenient places to charge their vehicles. 

Siemens has taken all of this into account with their new charging concept prototype, the VersiCharge XL, recently reported in an article by Building Design + Construction magazine. This above-ground, weather-resistant structure can charge multiple vehicles with either level 2 or level 3 chargers at the same time. It is a great example of the type of innovative EV technology being developed to provide fast deployment, scalability, and easy maintenance—meeting both owners’ and consumers’ needs. Siemens’ new prefabricated prototype also addresses many stakeholders’ concerns with greenhouse gasses by utilizing Nexii’s proprietary, sustainable building material with a low carbon footprint. 

I believe this new take on charging infrastructure has the potential to have a huge impact in the EV arena. 

It’s exciting to see companies like these teaming up together to rapidly develop new solutions for today’s market, and even more exciting to think about who they will partner up with next. Perhaps integration with a solar manufacturer may be the next logical step. 

Want to learn more? Read the Building Design + Construction article.