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In this episode of Field Frequency, Carter Li, CEO of SWITCH, shares his journey into the EV industry and dives into the challenges and evolution of EV charging infrastructure. From reliability and uptime to industry accountability and future growth, this conversation explores what it will take to mature the EV charging experience and build driver trust.

Show Notes:

• Carter Li’s origin story and the founding of SWITCH
• The challenge of EV charging in multifamily housing
• Growth of Switch to 20,000+ charging ports across North America
• Different EV charging business models (CPO, software, ownership structures)
• Customer experience gaps between EV charging and traditional fueling
• The role of real-time data tools like PlugShare and Google Maps
• Why uptime metrics can be misleading and how to define true reliability
• Accountability in the EV ecosystem: CPOs, OEMs, and service providers
• Operational challenges and the importance of maintenance (O&M)
• Hardware evolution and the importance of iteration in charger design
• Industry growing pains and the shift toward maturity
• The need for collaboration, transparency, and shared data
• Market outlook: consolidation, scalability, and sustainable business models
• Why the next wave of EV adoption depends on better first impressions