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ChargePoint and EVgo Race to Build the Charging Network America Needs
Taha Abbasi··3 min read
The Charging Infrastructure Race Heats Up
Taha Abbasi has experienced the American EV charging landscape firsthand through thousands of miles of Cybertruck road trips, and the reality is mixed. Tesla’s Supercharger network remains the gold standard, but the rest of the charging ecosystem — dominated by ChargePoint, EVgo, Electrify America, and a patchwork of smaller operators — is racing to close the gap.
The stakes are enormous. The US needs an estimated 1.2 million public charging ports by 2030 to support projected EV adoption. Currently, approximately 200,000 exist. That gap represents both a crisis and a business opportunity.
ChargePoint’s Network Approach
ChargePoint operates the largest open charging network in North America with over 90,000 active ports. Unlike Tesla’s vertically integrated model, ChargePoint sells hardware and software to site hosts — businesses, municipalities, and property owners — who own and operate the chargers. This asset-light model scales faster but creates variability in reliability and maintenance.
As Taha Abbasi observes, ChargePoint’s model works well for Level 2 destination charging at workplaces and shopping centers. For DC fast charging along highways — where reliability is critical and downtime means stranded motorists — the model has struggled to match Tesla’s uptime standards.
EVgo’s Fast Charging Focus
EVgo takes a different approach, owning and operating its fast charging stations directly. This gives the company more control over reliability and customer experience but requires significantly more capital. EVgo has been expanding aggressively, with a focus on urban and suburban locations that serve daily charging needs rather than long-distance travel.
The NACS Revolution
Taha Abbasi has covered the NACS charging standard adoption extensively. Every major EV manufacturer has adopted Tesla’s North American Charging Standard connector, which means Tesla Superchargers are becoming accessible to all EVs. This is simultaneously a win for EV owners and an existential threat to competing networks.
ChargePoint and EVgo must now justify their existence in a world where Tesla Superchargers are everywhere and work with every vehicle. Their path forward likely involves differentiation through location convenience, pricing transparency, and integration with fleet management platforms.
What Needs to Happen
The American charging network needs three things: more stations in more locations, dramatically better reliability, and standardized payment and authentication. Federal NEVI funding is addressing the first challenge. Tesla’s opening of Superchargers addresses some coverage gaps. But reliability and user experience at non-Tesla chargers remain persistent problems.
As Taha Abbasi sees it, the charging network of 2030 will look nothing like today. Consolidation is inevitable — smaller operators will be acquired, unreliable networks will lose customers, and the winners will be those who deliver Tesla-level reliability at scale. The race is on.
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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com
Taha Abbasi
Engineer by trade. Builder by instinct. Explorer by choice.
