Pepco EVsmart Charger Audit – September 25, 2024

Pepco Port Availability (09-25-2024)

• L2: 80%
• DCFC: 84%
• Goal: 97% Uptime

Pepco EVsmart Network

Maryland EV drivers are facing a harsh reality: a substantial number of utility-owned public charging stations are frequently offline. In Pepco’s service area, many EVsmart-branded stations have been out of service for weeks, with some entire sites down for months. Of 252 charging ports across 84 Pepco locations, 50 were offline as of September 25, 2024—leaving only 80% operational, well below the 97% uptime target. This unreliable infrastructure threatens the state’s ambitious EV adoption goals.

Overall Port Availability on 09-25-2024: 80%

On September 25, 2024, I conducted a virtual “charger audit” of Pepco’s EVsmart network and found that eleven locations had no charging ports online at all. Many of the offline ports had not successfully charged a vehicle in over two weeks, indicating prolonged outages. The lack of redundancy at these sites further compounds the challenges faced by EV drivers, who are left with even fewer reliable charging options.

Charger Downtime Erodes Trust

This reliability shortfall is alarming as Maryland pushes toward ambitious electric vehicle adoption targets. With one in five charging ports offline, public confidence in the public EV charging infrastructure—a critical element for the widespread transition to EVs—risks being severely undermined.

One site, located at Acredale Community Park in College Park, has been down since June. 

List of Pepco EV Charging Ports that Show Offline on September 25, 2024

Table

Pepco’s network is a key component of Maryland’s EV infrastructure, but frequent downtime is a serious concern. For EV adoption to thrive, drivers need reliable access to charging stations, and these gaps in uptime could slow progress. Utilities like Pepco must step up to meet drivers’ expectations and ensure their chargers are reliable resources, not stranded assets.