Understanding uptime in the EV charging industry: towards a common methodology

In the European Union, even though uptime is currently only mentioned in recital 12 of Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), at the national and local levels public tenders are increasingly featuring uptime requirements of 97% – 99%. The US and the UK have for their part established regulatory requirements, sometimes including fines (for the UK) when these are not met.

The current landscape for measuring uptime in the EU presents several limitations. Our latest paper outlines the proactive steps the industry is taking to address these limitations, and what policymakers need to know.

This paper:

• Supports a better understanding of “uptime”, a key concept that is increasingly under scrutiny, from an industry’s perspective. In layman’s terms, “uptime” refers to the total amount (or percentage) of time a connector is working properly for all EV drivers to use.

• Presents the findings of extensive technical work started in September 2023 and 2 expert workshops held by ChargeUp Europe members on a (non-regulatory) common methodology to measuring and reporting uptime, the merits of an approach grounded in operational reality, ensuring a level playing field across the sector and fostering a race to the top on operational performance.

• Opens the conversation with EU policymakers, tendering authorities, and the broader EV charging infrastructure community, about the significant limitations of the current tendering and regulatory approaches of uptime.

A common methodology not only ensures a level playing field but also pushes CPOs to deliver optimal uptime, enhancing the charging experience for all EV drivers.

Read the full paper here.