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
  
  

Host Jason Cortes sits down with Steve Burkett of Plug & Play EV and the Coast to Coast EVs livestream to explore how a passion YouTube channel grew into a trusted voice connecting EV drivers, fleets, and infrastructure players. They dig into why storytelling beats slogans for mainstream EV adoption, where charging reliability and destination charging still fall short, how to cut through hype and vaporware in EV news, and what fleets, retailers, and policymakers need to get right over the next 3–5 years.

Show Notes

Guest

• Steve Burkett – Founder of Plug & Play EV, host of Coast to Coast EVs livestream/podcast, long-time EV driver and B2B marketer focused on EV consumer education and infrastructure.

In This Episode

• Meet Steve & Plug & Play EV
• Sitting Between Drivers and the EVSE Industry
• Reliability: Are We Finally Turning the Corner?
• Destination Charging & Real-World Hotel Pain
• Storytelling vs. Slogans (and Why “Save the Planet” Isn’t Enough)
• Signal vs. Noise in EV News & Tech Hype
• Coast to Coast EVs: What Drivers Really Talk About
• Retailers, Buc-ee’s vs. Kwik Trip & the New Fueling Mix
• Plug & Charge, Credit Cards & the Real Driver Experience
• Fleet Electrification & Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Lessons from CNG / LNG Fleets for EV TCO
• Global Lessons: Europe, China & Standardization
• Looking 3–5 Years Ahead: Affordability & Education
  
  
  

Resources Mentioned

• Plug & Play EV weekly newsletter – EV driver stories, infrastructure analysis, regional station highlights.
• Coast to Coast EVs livestream & podcast – Deep dives on regional charging build-outs and real-world ownership.

In this episode of Field Frequency, host Jason Cortes sits down with Benoit Lacroix, CEO of Relion, to talk about what it really takes to keep EV chargers up and running at scale. Benoit shares how his early work electrifying heavy-duty trucks led him to build Relion as an “operating layer” behind the scenes of EV charging—connecting data, people, and process from fault to fix. The conversation explores interoperability challenges, the limitations of traditional CSMS tools, why reliability is really about orchestration, and how operators, fleets, and service providers can work together to turn complexity into flow.

Show Notes:

The future of EV charging isn’t just about hardware, it’s about orchestrating the people, data, and processes that keep chargers working. In this episode, Jason and Benoit explore the operational realities behind charger uptime and how Relion is building the layer that turns faults into fixes.

Inside the Episode:

• Benoit’s journey from electrifying heavy-duty trucks to founding Relion
• How early lessons in remote diagnostics and telematics shaped Relion’s approach
• Why EV charging reliability is a systems problem, not a hardware problem
• The limits of standards like OCPP and what it takes to stay hardware-agnostic
• Filling the gap between CSMS tools and real-world operations workflows
• How Relion unifies operators, manufacturers, and service providers around issue resolution
• Improving first-time fix rates through better triage, SOPs, and work order automation
• Where Relion drives the most impact: public charging, curbside L2, fleets, and managed services
• Why visibility, control, and faster time-to-resolution matter more than uptime promises
• The role of automation and AI in diagnostics—focused on quality over noise
• Relion’s growth trajectory across Canada and the U.S.

In this episode, host Jason Cortes sits down with Raul Dominguez, founder of Evolve Energy, to explore the rapidly changing world of EV charging within the hospitality industry. Raul shares his journey from a civil engineering background to impactful roles at Rivian and Tesla, experiences that inspired him to launch Evolve Energy. Together, they discuss how EV charging has evolved from a luxury amenity to a guest expectation—a key factor in hotel selection, loyalty, and overall competitiveness. Raul also breaks down how Evolve Energy’s smart, cost-efficient charging solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly into hotel operations, delivering convenience for guests and long-term value for property owners.

Show Notes

In this episode, Jason sits down with Raul Dominguez, founder of Evolve Energy, to discuss how his company is transforming the EV charging experience in the hospitality industry. From his early career in civil engineering to leadership roles at Rivian and Tesla, Raul’s journey reflects a deep commitment to innovation, user experience, and infrastructure scalability.

They explore how Evolve Energy’s smart outlet platform is reshaping the conversation around EV charging—from being an optional amenity to an essential part of the modern guest experience.

Key Topics

• From Civil Engineering to EV Innovation
  Raul shares his path from transportation consulting to Rivian’s Adventure Network, Tesla’s Supercharger team, and ultimately founding Evolve Energy.
• Solving the “Hotel Charging Problem”
  A firsthand account of the challenges EV drivers face when traveling—limited access, inconsistent infrastructure, and unreliable listings.
• Evolve Energy’s Mission
  How Evolve is building smarter, lower-cost charging solutions through smart outlets and software-driven integrations—bringing scalability to hospitality parking lots nationwide.
• Hospitality Meets Technology
  Insights on how EV charging influences guest loyalty and conversion rates. With Hilton naming EV charging as its #1 global booking filter, Raul explains why charging is now as essential as Wi-Fi.
• ROI and Accessibility
  The business case for hotels: EV charging as a revenue-generating investment, not a cost. How Evolve’s platform reduces capital expenditure while expanding access.
• Frictionless Guest Experience
  Integration with hotel management systems for seamless billing and user access—no cables, screens, or payment terminals required.
• Future-Proofing for the EV Era
  Raul discusses the company’s focus on edge computing, machine learning, and hardware designed for autonomous vehicles and mass adoption.

In this episode, host Jason Cortes sits down with Brad Crist, CEO and co-founder of ChargeMate, to explore how AI is transforming EV charging reliability. From real-world road trip frustrations to building an AI-driven support system that bridges the gap between drivers, operators, and field technicians, Brad shares how ChargeMate is redefining service intelligence in the EV space.

Show Notes:
The transition to electric vehicles depends on more than just chargers—it depends on reliable charging experiences. In this conversation, Jason and Brad unpack the challenges behind EV service workflows and the role AI plays in keeping chargers online and drivers confident.

Inside the Episode:

• Brad’s journey from environmental science to leading ChargeMate
• The catalyst moment that sparked ChargeMate’s founding
• Identifying the “service gap” between drivers and charge point operators
• How AI bridges driver-reported issues with actionable insights for service teams
• Smarter dispatching and avoiding unnecessary truck rolls
• Making raw charger data meaningful through context and automation
• Building serviceability by design: what CPOs and OEMs should ask about hardware
• Why “buy vs. build” matters when it comes to AI in charging operations
• The future of EV service intelligence and collaboration across the industry

Listen to learn:
How ChargeMate is transforming EV charging from a reactive model to a proactive, intelligent, and human-centered experience—and what that means for CPOs, service providers, and drivers alike.

Inside The Episode:

• Origin story: Zak’s path from early EV enthusiasm (2016) to founding ChargeLab in 2020 and growing to tens of thousands of managed ports.
• Why “smart” matters: Moving beyond “amenity” chargers to networked, monetized stations with payments, load/energy management, and telemetry so sites can scale from 2 to 20+ ports without blowing the panel—or the budget.
• Operator value props: ChargeLab’s CSMS (charger management), seamless QR/Apple Pay activation, robust energy management, utility integrations, and fleet/multifamily/workplace/public use cases.
• Reliability realities: Why ~20% failed public sessions (historically) happened—connectivity, firmware/backend misalignment, OCPP implementation differences, and driver flow issues—and how the industry is maturing past Gen-1 pitfalls.
• AI in the loop (Spark): Proactive monitoring across billions of charger messages to:
  • Detect patterns that precede failures (e.g., connectivity drift, abnormal session drops).
  • Intervene before drivers are affected (safe, targeted remote reboots; tuned timeouts/configs).
  • Generate human-readable diagnostics for field techs to speed on-site fixes.
• Online vs. offline resilience: Designing for always-connected management while enabling offline authentication (RFID/credit card) with later settlement to reduce single-point failures.
• Tier-1 driver support (in-house): On-shore ChargeLab employees trained on EV charging, sitting near technical teams, improving first-time-driver success and protecting CPO revenue.
• Ops & partnerships: Clear escalation paths to hardware makers and field service partners (like Field Advantage); workflows that avoid unnecessary truck rolls while shortening true MTTR.
• Branding & buyer fit: Off-the-shelf for smaller sites vs. white-label apps, RFID, call flows, and UI for retailers/utilities building branded networks.
• The road ahead: Predictive maintenance, dynamic pricing, grid services, and raising the bar so today’s “good” becomes tomorrow’s minimum.