Startup Heroes Rescue EV Charging Network In US

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Last Updated on: 14th March 2025, 06:01 pm

The EV charging station buildout continues apace in the US, but obstacles remain. One of the problems is the need for expensive grid upgrades to handle the millions of new EV owners to hit the highways and plug in. Or not, as the case may be. Charging station innovators are already coming up with solutions that conserve grid resources while providing local communities with emergency backup power and the convenience of fast charging, too.

The ElectricFish EV Charging Station Solution: Look Ma, 90% Savings On Grid Upgrades

Among the EV charging startups to cross the CleanTechnica radar is the California firm ElectricFish. The company launched in 2019 with a focus on accelerating EV adoption and fleet electrification in grid-constrained locations where new electrical infrastructure is impractical, if not cost-prohibitive.

ElectricFish’s chief contribution is “350Squared,” a modular, plug-and-play charging station that can deploy existing 200-amp electrical infrastructure to pull double duty as a community microgrid and energy storage facility, providing backup power in case of emergency.

ElectricFish opened its new factory in California in June, and it has been on the move since then. In the latest news, earlier today the company announced the official launch of the new 350Squared power bank. Featuring 400 kilowatt-hours of storage and ultra-fast EV charging, the system requires no trenching or other heavy-duty work normally required to install a new EV charging station.

ElectricFish asserts that the battery-integrated 350Squared power bank eliminates up to 90% of the cost of grid upgrades needed for conventional EV fast charging stations, while delivering a charge 133% faster than typical fast chargers.

The system is also containerized, enabling clients to pick up and go as their needs change.

Smart EV Charging To Help Ease Grid Strain

Today’s EV charging station technology is more nimble and responsive than earlier iterations, which should help ease, if not eliminate, excess strain on the grid in the coming years when millions of EVs start hitting the US roads and charging up at the same time.

ElectricFish has taken extra care with that angle, tailoring its software to integrate with grid-balancing virtual power plant technology (see more virtual power plant background here).

“The addition of AI forecasting brings a combination of demand response and predictive analytics that optimizes energy use, ensuring grid stability and lowering operational costs,” ElectricFish explains.

“Additionally, integrating real-time energy market APIs enhances flexibility, allowing site hosts to generate revenue through dynamic energy management,” they add.

The Electrification Movement’s Secret Weapon: Fleet Vehicles

The market for heavy-duty Class 8 electric trucks is still in the early stages, but ElectricFish is among the stakeholders seeing rich opportunities in the electrification of medium-duty fleets.

“One of the biggest challenges facing the sector right now is bringing down the upfront costs to compete with traditional gas-powered vehicles while also maximizing efficiency for fleet operators,” explains ElectricFish COO Vince Wong.

With that in mind, 350Squared features two charging ports and a bi-directional meter.

The energy transition think tank RMI also notes that light- and medium-duty fleets are ripe for electrification. The organization has been tracking the bottom line benefits of fleet electrification. Last fall RMI issued a new report on EV fleet costs under the headline, “Business and Governments, There’s Never Been a Better Time to Electrify your Vehicle Fleet.” The picture could change somewhat if exiting federal tax credits are eliminated. Nevertheless, for the time being RMI’s conclusion holds true:

Across a range of scenarios, it’s cheaper to own and operate light- and medium-duty electric vehicles than gas-powered vehicles, making a strong business case that now is the time for private and government-owned fleets to make the switch.

More EV Charging Stations For The US

In the meantime, ElectricFish is not the only EV charging stakeholder to help ensure that vehicle electrification movement continues to gather steam.

One particularly interesting bit of news popped up earlier this month, when the state of Pennsylvania celebrated its successful deployment of NEVI funds at three locations before the program went on the chopping block. Two of the new locations are supported by Sheetz and the IONNA consortium, which in turn are also collaborating on dozens more charging locations. The third location is supported by Pilot/Flying J, which is collaborating with GM and EVgo on hundreds of additional locations.

The outlook for rapid growth in the home EV charging market is also improving, with one key area being solutions for onsite charging at multi-family residential properties. Drivers who live in multi-family buildings have been largely shut out of the convenience of home charging, which is where the vast majority of EV drivers prefer to charge up.

Increasing access to home charging at multi-family properties opens up a whole new field of opportunity for EV sales.

In that regard, keep an eye on Toyota. The automaker has been notoriously reluctant to introduce 100% battery-electric vehicles to the market, preferring to focus its attention on hybrids and fuel cell electric vehicles. Still, the automaker is second only to Tesla in market cap, providing it with an opportunity to make an outsized impact on EV adoption and, by extension, the pace of EV charging station buildout.

Earlier this week, Toyota took the plunge. The automaker introduced three new BEVs to Europe and also teased a new electric micro-car concept for urban drivers and the youth market.

Toyota reportedly plans to introduce one of the EVs, the new C-HR+ compact crossover SUV, to the US market. Last summer the automaker also joined other US stakeholders to invest in the new IONNA EV charging network.

Photo: New EV charging stations are sprouting up all over the US, even as the White House disables federally supported stations and sends more taxpayer dollars down the drain (courtesy of ElectricFish).