Guest: Atish Patel, CEO (X-Charge Group) and Head of North America, X-Charge
Host: Jason Cortes
Primary Topics: X-Charge origin story, infrastructure-first DC fast charging, ROI and uptime, maintainability, long-term viability, market outlook

Jason sits down with Atish Patel to unpack how X-Charge entered North America with a different philosophy: build charging hardware around the realities of existing electrical infrastructure. Atish shares how he started as a customer, struggled with ROI due to installation complexity and power constraints (especially 208V vs. 480V), then partnered with X-Charge to co-develop a North America-ready solution. The conversation covers product differentiation, operator ROI, serviceability, reliability, and how X-Charge addresses industry concerns around OEM stability.

Key Takeaways

• Infrastructure-first design is X-Charge’s core differentiator, especially compatibility with common U.S. site power (e.g., 208V three-phase).
• Reducing installation friction (simpler terminations, integrated systems) helps lower deployment cost and accelerate time-to-revenue.
• ROI is treated as a design principle, not just a financial metric. Uptime, maintainability, and speed-to-repair are part of the ROI story.
• Maintainability by design: key service items (like cables and boards) are engineered for accessibility, reducing technician time on-site.
• Viability strategy: transparency, standardized components, documentation/training, and partner ecosystems to avoid single-point dependency.
• Market outlook: optimistic growth with watchpoints on subsidies, broader economic conditions, and a shift toward “utility-first” EVs.

In Episode 12 of Field Frequency, Jason sits down with Mike Battaglia, CEO of Blink Charging, to unpack what it takes to build a profitable, reliable charging network in a market that has moved from hype to hard truths. Mike shares his journey from the automotive world and JD Power into EV infrastructure, why Blink is doubling down on owning the software and operating profitable assets, and how driver experience, uptime, and disciplined growth are shaping Blink’s “next chapter” across Level 2 and DC fast charging.

Inside the Episode

• Mike’s path to EV charging
• The Blink leadership climb
• Blink’s core DNA: owner-operator first
• Vertical integration, refined
• Driver experience: the simplest standard wins
• Listening loops: CSAT + NPS + diagnostics
• Fleets and OEMs: different needs, different playbooks
• Reliability at scale: why partnerships matter
• Blink by the numbers
• Profitability: the industry’s overdue requirement
• DC fast charging strategy
• Policy friction and the permitting problem
• Capital markets reality check
• Vision: what Blink success looks like in 3 years

In this episode of Field Frequency, Jason is joined by Brian Bradford, Commercial Lead at Universal EV Chargers, a Texas-based charge point operator with a rapidly expanding national footprint. Brian shares his journey from traditional energy and infrastructure, including early career experience during the Enron era, into the evolving EV charging landscape.

The conversation explores Universal EV’s evolution from Level 2 deployments to a focused DC fast charging strategy, emphasizing utilization, capital efficiency, and reliability as the core drivers of sustainable growth. Brian outlines Universal’s disciplined CPO-only model, its approach to hardware and software flexibility, the role of public funding such as NEVI, and how customer experience, uptime, and regionalized operations shape long-term success. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on policy headwinds, market maturation, and what “winning” looks like for Universal EV by 2030.

Show Notes

Guest:
Brian Bradford, CCO of Universal EV Chargers

Topics Covered:

• Brian’s career path from traditional energy and infrastructure into EV charging
• The origin of Universal EV and its roots in Universal Solar and Universal Green Group
• Transition from Level 2 charging to a DC fast charging–first strategy
• Current portfolio overview, including L2 and L3 port counts and multi-state expansion
• Universal EV’s CPO-only business model and focus on operations, maintenance, and service
• Balancing utilization and capital cost as the foundation of site profitability
• Site acquisition strategy, regionalized construction, and maintenance optimization
• Hardware and software selection in a fragmented, commoditized market
• Universal’s approach to uptime, reliability, and owning the customer experience
• Leveraging proprietary software, 24/7 service teams, and OEM partnerships
• Public funding strategy, including NEVI and state-level grant programs
• Lessons learned from early funding challenges and industry maturation
• Enhancing driver experience through loyalty programs, pricing models, and AI-driven tools
• Policy volatility, market headwinds, and long-term demand for EV infrastructure
• Universal EV’s five-year vision for growth, consolidation, and customer loyalty
• The future of EV charging stations as grid-edge energy assets