ChargePoint is introducing the ChargePoint Omni Port, an EV connector solution which ensures any EV can charge in any parking space, regardless of its connector type, and without an expensive additional cable.
Omni Port eliminates the hassle of carrying an adapter for drivers, negates dedicating parking spaces exclusively to a select connector type and is available at no incremental cost as a standard feature of ChargePoint’s applicable chargers.
“Across hardware and software, ChargePoint is bringing to market innovative solutions that ensure all drivers who need to charge are able to do so,” said Rick Wilmer, CEO of ChargePoint. “With Omni port, ChargePoint solved the challenges associated with a multiple connector environment, ensuring Tesla and non-Tesla drivers can continue to expect a world-class driver experience. We are giving drivers and site hosts assurance that ChargePoint will continue to meet all their charging needs now and in the future.”
Omni Port is the only publicly available solution to solve North America’s EV connector confusion across AC and DC charging, enabling drivers of all makes of vehicles to charge at the same station by combining the most prevalent connector types into each charging port. Omni Port ensures public charging ports are future-ready, and designed to support vehicles that are already on the road as well as EVs coming to market. Omni Port will be incorporated into select ChargePoint AC and DC charging stations at no additional cost, making them an obvious choice for new charger installations.
Drivers can expect a frictionless charging experience when using Omni Port, simply needing to enter their vehicle’s make and model into the ChargePoint app, tapping to charge, and allowing the charging station to automatically release the correct connector type. For those who do not use the ChargePoint app, a driver simply selects the correct connector on the charger screen. Omni Port eliminates the hassle of carrying adapters while forming a simpler, more convenient charging experience.
Omni Port is designed with all makes of vehicles in mind, built into ChargePoint AC and DC charging architecture featuring cable management that reaches a charge port regardless of its location on the vehicle. There is no need to download any dedicated app if you prefer credit card payment, and Omni Port enables full support for vehicles with 800 volt architecture – ensuring max charging speeds for sustained periods of time.
There are more than 5.5 million EVs on North American roads, of which more than half are equipped with J1772 or CCS1 charging ports. These vehicles will continue needing public charger access for years to come. As automakers attempt to align on a single connector type for the future, these 5.5 million drivers need assurance that they will be able to charge when they need to. Omni port gives drivers and station owners peace of mind by combining these most common connector types into a single solution, meeting EV driver needs without having to dedicate parking spaces to specific connector types.
In addition to availability on new chargers, Omni Port will begin shipping by the end of the year, and can be retrofitted onto ChargePoint CP6000 and Express Plus Power Link 2000 models at a nominal cost. ChargePoint’s modular hardware design allows station owners to upgrade instead of replacing their chargers, swapping minimal components, as quickly as possible. Omni Port is yet another proof point of ChargePoint’s commitment to flexible and innovative design for its customers.
