The new ChargePoint charger is designed to work with every type of EV

Key Takeaways

• The ChragePoint Omni Port is a new charging connector that adjusts to fit your EV, eliminating the need for expensive adapters.
• ChargePoint claims to work with different charging rates across AC and DC.
• With many new EVs switching to NACS, the Omni Port is perfect for anyone with an older car.

ChargePoint thinks it has a solution to the confusing problem of charging options and types of connectors that EV drivers have to deal with. The new ChargePoint Omni Port is an all-in-one charging connector that the provider claims can charge any EV connected to it, even if they use different types of connectors.

Unlike gas vehicles, EVs do not have an agreed method of charging. Some use AC power, some use DC power, and there are many types of connectors available to transfer that power from the charging station to your car. In the US, an agreement has been reached regarding Tesla’s NACS or the North American Charging Standard, major car manufacturers such as Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, General Motors, and Stellantis agreeing to start producing cars that use NACS connector in 2025.

That’s all well and good, especially since Tesla has opened up its charging network to non-Tesla vehicles, but it leaves out anyone who bought a car before then. ChargePoint believes its Omni Port could be the answer — making charging easier and eliminating the need for expensive adapters.

The Omni Port adjusts to fit your vehicle

It’s all about removable connectors

According to ChargePoint, the Omni Port knows which charging port to release based on what you say when you go up to charge. You simply enter your car’s make and model into the ChargePoint charging app, tap it into the charger, and pull out the Omni Port. It will have the right connector attached and can be quickly connected to your car. Since ChargePoint plans to include Omni Ports on select chargers with both AC and DC properties, you’ll get the right current for your vehicle, too.

Looking at ChargePoint’s pictures of the Omni Port, it looks a little like the company has made some kind of connector with reversible parts and more like a clever clip-on or pop-out system for the compact adapter depending on what car you’re driving. Either way, it’s a smart solution to what seems to be a growing problem for EV owners. As long as you can get to a ChargePoint with the Omni Port, you won’t need to worry if the charger can power your car.

Omni Port helps simplify the annoying part of EV ownership

Besides the often high price of buying and owning an EV, charging can present new problems that a visit to the garage does not. Unless you can charge at home, you’ll need to find a place to charge on the road or visit a fast charging station, both of which may require a wait. However, chances are high that you may find your battery running short until you develop the right charging strategy. As research shows, becoming a good EV owner may require changing not just your charging behavior, but the way you think about your vehicle’s battery.

That doesn’t mean ChargePoint’s Omni Port won’t help. Removing friction from charging makes everyone happy. ChargePoint says the Omni Port should ship no later than 2024 and that existing “ChargePoint CP6000 and Express Plus Power Link 2000” chargers can be retrofitted with the new connector “at low cost.” That’s a good sign that many people can benefit from not thinking about adapters rather than less. It’s not a magic bullet, ChargePoint chargers aren’t everywhere — the company announced they’ve hit one million chargers by July 2024 — and depending on how long you’ve had your EV, you may already have a system that works for you. . But anything is better than keeping an extra cable in your car.