Automotive OEMs, charging station manufacturers and other industry experts collaborating to address EV charging reliability and operability

[YPSILANTI, Mich., November 19, 2024] – The American Center for Mobility (ACM) has announced the official opening of the EV Charging & Interoperability Testbed “EV Charging Basecamp” at the historic Willow Run facility in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan.

“The EV Charging Basecamp is now open and available for use” says Reuben Sarkar, president and CEO at ACM.  Further, he points out “OEMs are invited to use the facility ‘free of charge’ for a period, in support of a Federally funded project, while we’re starting up Phase-1 of a multi-phase buildout.”  Utilization is key as more OEMs; more vehicle makes and models are being tested against more charging equipment every day.

ACM introduced its EV Basecamp with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in May of this year. In October ACM officially launched  operations under a $2.9 million grant from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to enhance industry collaboration and expand the EV charger testing environment to bolster the United States’ electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

The growth in EV production and adoption, along with the expanding number of charging stations from a variety of manufacturers, brings significant challenges, particularly around ensuring all platforms work seamlessly to provide drivers with a reliable end-to-end charging experience. The EV Charging and Interoperability test bed is a place where OEMs, CPOs, and EVSE’s can access a market representation of chargers, charging station management software, equipment, and collaborate to bring seamless charging experiences to consumers.

ACM is making available DC fast chargers and implementing comprehensive testing for charger operability and interoperability. This project not only addresses the growing demand for robust EV charging but is meeting demand of automakers for a local and neutral EV charging test facility in the heart of the U.S. automotive industry. This R&D center focuses on providing the ability for more interoperability testing, supporting conformance testing and support for adherence to evolving industry standards.

The ACM R&D facility is a place for industry to collaborate and improve the consumer charging experience. Partners and automotive OEMs using the facility can choose to participate in ACM’s EV Charging & Interoperability Advisory Council which held its kick-off meeting last month with participation from 16 companies and organizations spanning OEMs, EVSEs, CPOs, measurement & analytical equipment, industry associations and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.

The EV Charging Advisory Council represents industry working in collaboration with other critical members of the ecosystem to determine ongoing needs and how best to work together to solve the most pressing charging reliability issues to ensure all are working toward the mutual goal of a seamless end consumer experience.

If you’re interested in testing, contributing equipment or services and participating in these collaborations, contact Kevin Kelly, Director of Sales & Marketing @ [email protected] Direct media inquiries to Madison Baughey at [email protected].

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The American Center for Mobility is a global development center for safe, sustainable, and secure mobility technologies. Founding partners and contributors to the EV Basecamp testbed include;  ABB E-mobility, Ampure, Autel, EcoG, InCharge, Keysight Technologies, Lincoln Electric, QualityLogic, Quench, S44 and Red E Charge, in cooperation with industry testing partner CharIN e.V..

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