Introduction

The start of a new week brings a cluster of developments that signal the EV charging industry is entering a phase defined by faster hardware, broader network access, and transformative battery technology that will reshape infrastructure requirements in the years ahead. Tesla has launched its Folding V4 Supercharger, a pre-assembled unit that deploys twice as fast at 20 percent lower cost while delivering up to 500 kilowatts per stall, and has ended production of its V3 cabinets after seven years and 15,000 units. Stellantis has become the last major automaker to gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network, meaning virtually every electric vehicle sold in America can now charge at the nation's largest DC fast-charging network. Multiple automakers are racing to commercialize solid-state batteries targeting 800 or more miles of range with energy densities of 400 to 600 watt-hours per kilogram, EVgo is accelerating its NACS connector deployment to more than 500 units across 25 states by the end of 2026, and the global EV charging station market is projected to grow from $13 billion to $51 billion by 2035. For Los Angeles property owners, these trends confirm that EV charging demand will continue to accelerate and that infrastructure investments made today through qualified electrical contractors like Shaffer Construction, Inc. will serve a growing driver population for years to come.

Tesla Launches Folding V4 Supercharger That Deploys Twice as Fast at 20 Percent Lower Cost

Tesla has introduced its next-generation Folding Unit Supercharger, a pre-assembled V4 charging station built on a steel base that folds for transport and unfolds on site, delivering eight charging posts capable of up to 500 kilowatts per stall for passenger vehicles and up to 1.2 megawatts for the Tesla Semi. As CleanTechnica reported, the folding design allows 33 percent more units to fit on a single delivery truck, with two units providing 16 charging stalls per shipment compared to 12 previously, while eliminating the need for on-site DC busbar connections or Tesla service technician presence during commissioning. Tesla's Director of Charging, Max de Zegher, stated that the units save more than 20 percent on overall cost, improve build quality through factory assembly, and deploy twice as fast as previous configurations, with the majority of savings coming from reduced civil, electrical, and logistics expenses.

The Folding V4 launch coincides with Tesla ending production of its V3 Supercharger cabinet at Gigafactory New York after more than seven years and 15,000 units, marking a complete pivot to V4 hardware across the network. The first Folding Unit stations have opened in Columbia, South Carolina, and Kissimmee, Florida, with the V4 power cabinet delivering three times the power density of V3 while supporting twice the number of stalls per cabinet. Tesla's global Supercharger network now exceeds 65,000 stalls across more than 6,200 stations, with more than 27,500 stalls accessible to non-Tesla EVs. As we discussed in our coverage of the 2026 EV Charging Summit's focus on execution and deployment speed, the ability to install high-power charging stations faster and at lower cost directly addresses the infrastructure gap that industry leaders identified as the primary challenge facing the EV transition. For Los Angeles commercial property owners, the evolution of charging hardware toward more compact, powerful, and easier-to-install configurations means that the barrier to offering high-power charging continues to decrease, and properties that invest in adequate electrical capacity now will be well positioned as next-generation equipment becomes available. Shaffer Construction provides electrical load studies that help property owners evaluate their current service capacity and plan for the power requirements of advanced charging equipment.

Stellantis Becomes Last Major Automaker to Gain Tesla Supercharger Access as Network Reaches Universal Compatibility

Stellantis has opened access to more than 27,500 Tesla Supercharger stalls across North America for owners of its battery-electric vehicles, making it the final major automaker to join the network and establishing near-universal charging compatibility for American EV drivers. As Electrek reported, eligible vehicles include the Dodge Charger Daytona, Jeep Wagoneer S, Jeep Recon, Ram ProMaster EV, Fiat 500e, and Maserati GranTurismo, GranCabrio, and Grecale Folgore models from 2024 through 2026 model years. Because none of these vehicles have native NACS charging ports, owners must purchase a NACS-to-CCS1 DC adapter priced at $230 through Mopar's online platform or $250 at dealerships, and initiate charging through the Free2move Charge app. Stellantis confirmed that the 2027 Dodge Charger Daytona will be the first of its vehicles to launch with a native NACS port, eliminating the adapter requirement.

The complete list of automakers now accessible on the Tesla Supercharger network includes Ford, GM, Rivian, Hyundai, Genesis, Kia, Nissan, Volvo, Polestar, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Acura, JLR, Audi, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen, Subaru, BMW, and now all Stellantis brands. This near-universal compatibility transforms the competitive landscape for EV charging by giving drivers of virtually any electric vehicle access to the nation's largest and most reliable fast-charging network, reducing range anxiety and strengthening the overall value proposition of EV ownership. As we reported in our analysis of Q1 2026 used EV sales surging to near-parity with gasoline vehicles, the growing population of EV drivers spans an increasingly broad range of vehicle brands and price points, and the universalization of charging access removes one of the remaining friction points that had slowed adoption. For property owners in Los Angeles, the message is clear: every EV driver who parks at your property is a potential charging customer regardless of which brand they drive, and commercial charging infrastructure that serves all vehicles with standard connectors captures the broadest possible market.

Solid-State Batteries Race Toward 800-Mile Range as Multiple Manufacturers Approach Commercial Production

The race to commercialize solid-state batteries has accelerated dramatically in 2026, with multiple Chinese automakers and a US-based startup approaching production milestones that promise to fundamentally transform EV range and charging capabilities. As Electrek reported, Changan Automobile's Golden Bell all-solid-state battery achieves an energy density of 400 watt-hours per kilogram and claims over 1,500 kilometers of range under Chinese testing standards, with trial vehicle installations planned before the end of the third quarter of 2026. Chery has unveiled its Rhino series solid-state battery at 600 watt-hours per kilogram, nearly double the energy density of today's best lithium-ion cells, targeting pilot production in 2026 and mass rollout in 2027 starting with the Exeed ES8. US-based Factorial Energy has demonstrated its Solstice solid-state cell at up to 450 watt-hours per kilogram, with Mercedes completing a 1,200-kilometer drive in a modified EQS using Factorial's 106-amp-hour cells, and Stellantis planning to test the technology in Dodge Charger Daytona vehicles this year.

Dongfeng is targeting 350 watt-hours per kilogram mass production by late 2026, and China plans to release its first national solid-state battery standard in July 2026, signaling that the technology is moving from laboratory demonstrations to industrial-scale manufacturing. Today's best lithium-ion batteries deliver 200 to 300 watt-hours per kilogram, while the solid-state cells entering production in 2026 target 400 to 500 watt-hours per kilogram, with potential to reach 600 watt-hours per kilogram in the coming years. For the EV charging infrastructure market, solid-state batteries represent a paradigm shift: vehicles with 800-mile range will charge less frequently but at significantly higher power levels to maintain reasonable charging times, meaning that charging equipment and electrical infrastructure must be designed to deliver higher power per stall. As we discussed in our coverage of SK Signet's 400-kilowatt All-In-One charger launch, the charging hardware industry is already scaling toward higher power levels in anticipation of more capable batteries, and Los Angeles property owners who invest in electrical infrastructure with sufficient capacity for future upgrades will be best positioned to serve the next generation of electric vehicles.

EVgo Accelerates NACS Connector Deployment to 500 Units Across 25 States by Year-End

EVgo, one of the nation's largest public fast-charging operators with more than 5,100 stalls nationwide, is accelerating its deployment of NACS connectors following a successful 2025 pilot that installed nearly 100 NACS connectors across 22 major metropolitan areas. As Charged EVs reported, EVgo plans to reach more than 500 NACS connectors installed by the end of 2026 across more than 25 states, with target markets including Austin, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, and San Francisco. Most sites will feature two to four NACS connectors with flexibility to expand as demand grows, and NACS connectors will be installed at both existing and new locations to serve both Tesla drivers and the growing number of vehicles equipped with native NACS inlets. For 2026, EVgo's guidance calls for 1,050 to 1,250 new public and dedicated stalls, and drivers of eligible NACS vehicles can enroll in Autocharge+ through the EVgo app for automatic session initiation without an adapter.

EVgo's NACS acceleration reflects a broader industry trend: with more than 35 NACS-equipped models expected on US roads by the end of 2026 and projections that over 80 percent of new EVs sold in North America will be NACS-compatible by 2030, charging operators are racing to add NACS connectors alongside existing CCS equipment to capture the growing Tesla and NACS-native driver population. Combined with Tesla opening its Supercharger network to virtually all automakers and Stellantis completing the roster of supported brands, the North American charging landscape is converging around a single dominant connector standard that simplifies the charging experience for drivers and reduces connector-related infrastructure complexity for property owners. As we noted in our coverage of ChargePoint's market collapse and charging industry consolidation, operators that invest in the right hardware and connector standards are positioning themselves to serve the broadest possible customer base, and the same principle applies to commercial property owners in Los Angeles who install charging equipment supporting both NACS and CCS connectors to maximize utilization across all vehicle brands.

Global EV Charging Station Market Projected to Reach $51 Billion by 2035 Driven by AI-Integrated Grid Systems

The global EV charging station market is projected to grow from approximately $13 billion in 2025 to over $51 billion by 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate of 14 percent, driven by the convergence of smart energy systems, AI-enabled grid optimization, and accelerating vehicle electrification across every major market. As OpenPR reported, AI-driven energy management is emerging as a transformative force in the charging industry, with systems that optimize charging schedules, reduce demand charges, balance loads across multiple energy sources, and enable dynamic pricing that lowers operating costs while improving uptime and reliability. The shift toward ultra-fast charging is accelerating globally, with systems delivering 350 kilowatts or more increasingly standard at new installations, and vehicle-to-grid technology moving from experimental status to commercial deployment in 2026 as manufacturers embed bidirectional inverters in production vehicles.

The market projection aligns with the structural trends visible across the developments covered in this post: Tesla's V4 hardware delivers three times the power density of its predecessor while reducing deployment costs, EVgo is scaling to meet the demand for NACS-compatible charging across 25 states, and solid-state battery technology is pushing vehicle capabilities toward power levels that will require correspondingly advanced infrastructure. For Los Angeles property owners, the $51 billion market projection validates charging infrastructure as a long-term investment with growing demand and improving economics, particularly as AI-driven load management tools allow property owners to optimize energy costs and maximize utilization of installed equipment. As we detailed in our coverage of the federal 30C tax credit deadline on June 30, property owners who invest now capture both the growing market opportunity and the available incentive savings, including up to $1,000 for residential installations and $100,000 per unit for commercial properties, before the credit expires. Shaffer Construction helps Los Angeles property owners design and install charging systems that are built for long-term performance, with electrical infrastructure sized to accommodate both current needs and the higher-power equipment that advancing technology will demand.

Conclusion

This week begins with clear evidence that the EV charging industry is maturing toward a future defined by higher power, broader compatibility, and smarter management. Tesla's Folding V4 Supercharger represents a step change in deployment efficiency that will accelerate network growth, Stellantis completing the automaker roster on the Supercharger network means that universal charging access is effectively a reality for American EV drivers, and the solid-state battery advances from Changan, Chery, and Factorial Energy point toward vehicles that will demand infrastructure capable of delivering dramatically higher power levels. EVgo's NACS deployment across 25 states confirms that the connector standard consolidation is well underway, and the projected growth of the global charging market to $51 billion by 2035 validates the long-term business case for infrastructure investment.

Ready to install EV charging infrastructure that serves the growing population of electric vehicle drivers in Los Angeles while incentives remain available? Shaffer Construction, Inc. provides expert design, permitting, and installation services for residential and commercial charging systems, electrical load studies, and complete project management that helps you capture available incentives including the federal 30C tax credit and LADWP rebates before their respective deadlines.

Shaffer Construction, Inc.
325 N Larchmont Blvd. #202
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Phone: (323) 642-8509
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.shaffercon.com