- American EV charging firm Electric Era has unveiled ‘RetailEdge’ – a next-generation EV fast charger designed specifically for retail site applications, helping to maximise revenue opportunities whilst customers park up and charge.
- RetailEdge envisions a public charging strategy which goes beyond just generating revenue through the charging process itself – by turning the charge into a retail touchpoint.
- The RetailEdge unit packs a number of innovations which Electric Era believes will differentiate it from the competition, including AI integration that brings instant, multi-lingual customer support and problem solving abilities to users.
Electric Era’s new charge point looks to diversify revenue streams for operators
The 27-inch, voice-assisted touchscreen built into the charge point will allow operators to utilise the equipment for displaying loyalty programs, retail media campaigns, and soon have the ability to enable direct product purchases directly from the screen. Upfront costs have traditionally been a barrier for retail sites hoping to implement EV charging, but with the ability to generate revenue beyond just the charging process, Electric Era’s new solution could solve that cost hurdle.
The new charger’s ‘HaloAI’ system is another technology which will help give the RetailEdge charger an edge over its rivals. Existing as a digital station attendant, it can solve issues on the fly, and give personalised promotions and helpful tips – another confidence boost for a growing market of first-time EV drivers who are yet to be familiar with the charging process.
The RetailEdge charger also builds on Electric Era’s already impressive reliability and uptime statistics, with the new charger now including predictive maintenance functions, and the option of Starlink connectivity to ensure chargers stay connected in all conditions.
Electric Era Founder and CEO, Quincy Lee, commented:
“DC fast charging began with speed and incentives, but its future lies in transforming the charger into a fully monetized, omnichannel marketing solution. This is what the next generation looks like, as today marks the beginning of the electric era. RetailEdge with Experiences and HaloAI will enable drivers to make the best use of their time, while our reliable, high-power charger helps them get more range from their charge. I’m excited to see where retailers take this to create their own intelligent, branded experiences to further build out their omnichannel marketing programs.”
