High power, higher intelligence: how DC fast chargers are becoming smart devices.
Thank you for joining us again after our previous discussion on scalability as the cornerstone of EV charging success in India. In today’s blog, we explore the next critical pillar: Intelligence in EV charging stations.
India’s electric vehicle (EV) landscape is transforming at an unprecedented pace.
As of July 2025, India has over 6.44 million registered EVs in total, according to data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways via the Vahan Dashboard. With projections suggesting a 40% year-on-year growth in the coming years. This surge is mirrored by the rapid proliferation of EV charging stations. As of April 1, 2025, India had 26,367 public EV charging stations, according to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
As more and more fast EV chargers are being deployed across cities, highways, and rural corridors, the challenge of managing large charging networks is also intensifying. At an EV charging station, we now have multiple types of EVs coming at the same time. All the drivers want to charge their vehicles first, and fast. As a CPO, you are now managing multiple charging stations, each of them with growing power demands, growing protocols of surveillance and growing customer expectations. Soon, this will become a logistics nightmare. But advancements in monitoring technology and EV charging intelligence can help us overcome this, because it can think, adapt, and optimize to keep up with growing demands.
So what is intelligence in EV charging? How does an EV charger communicate? What is the technology behind it? And how does it help CPOs?
The answers to these and more in today’s blog.
What is intelligence in EV charging?
Intelligence in EV charging refers to the ability of an EV charger to make data-driven decisions, adapt to real-time conditions, and optimize outcomes for users, operators, and the grid, based on the data collected.
At the core of this intelligence is the Operating System that is the brain of the EV charger. It reconciles data collected through an elaborate network of sensors placed in each component of the EV charger. It processes information from a network of embedded sensors across every component to monitor everything through ML algorithms. Supporting this is a layer of agile electric circuitry, capable of micro-level control over resistance, inductance, and capacitance.
As a CPO, how do you identify and differentiate which charger is truly intelligent and which is not?
What are the key Identifiers of Intelligence in EV Charging?
For an EV charger to be called intelligent, here are some features to look for:
- Smart Communication- for remote management and interoperability
- Dynamic Load Management- for power allocation and simultaneous charging
- Predictive Analytics- for boosting uptime and reducing maintenance costs
- Remote Diagnostics & OTA Updates- for minimizing operational expenses
- Efficient Energy Dispersion- for high power, lost cost charging
- Modular Setup - for customization in power allocation
1. Smart Communication facilitates remote management and interoperability
At the heart of intelligent EV charging stations is smart communication, i.e, real-time data exchange between the EV, charger, operator platform, and the grid. Through OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol), and SMART sensors, SMART EV chargers can authenticate users, share charging status, and even respond to grid supply for demand response/fluctuation events. Exicom’s Harmony OS is a recent product that leverages this.
This interconnectedness is critical for coordinating charging sessions, ensuring seamless user experiences, and maintaining power supply stability. The resulting communication further becomes the backbone of interoperability and remote management, enabling CPOs to monitor, control, and optimize operations from anywhere.
However, this complex communication between multiple data streams requires a central intelligence. With it, interoperability and remote control become not only possible but also scalable.
2. Dynamic Load Management enables simultaneous charging
With the number of high-power EV chargers in India multiplying, grid constraints and crowd management is a growing concern. Dynamic Load Management (DLM) leverages intelligent algorithms to allocate available power across multiple chargers in real time, based on demand, grid capacity, and user priorities.
This prevents site overloads, maximizes charger utilization, and eliminates the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades. DLM is hugely helping Indian CPOs deploy more chargers per site, and increasing scalability and operational efficiency.
3. Predictive Analytics boosts reliability and reduces maintenance costs
AI-driven predictive analytics is revolutionizing how CPOs maintain and operate charging networks. By analyzing millions of historical and real-time data points, these systems forecast charging demand, optimize station placement, and even anticipate maintenance needs before the breakdown happens.
This improves uptime, and ensures chargers are available where and when needed, and supports dynamic strategies. Leading operators across the world, especially in China and US, are using predictive models to minimize operational costs and maximize revenue, making networks more resilient and responsive.
4. Remote Diagnostics & OTA Updates minimize operational expenses
Modern chargers are equipped with sensors at each component level and connectivity for remote diagnostics and over-the-air (OTA) updates. This comes with dual benefits:
1. Issues can be detected, diagnosed, and often resolved without on-site intervention.
2. Firmware and security updates can be deployed remotely so that the chargers remain reliable and up to date, without needing a site visit.
This capability drastically reduces operational costs, improves reliability, and enhances user trust.
5. Efficient Energy Dispersion enables high power at lower costs
One of the key technical challenges in high-power EV charging is the management of reactive power. As you must be aware, it is the energy that oscillates between components without reaching the vehicle. If not minimized, this leads to wasted energy. But with advanced component architecture and control systems, most of the electricity drawn from the grid is actually used for charging the EV. This is a critical advantage that improves charging efficiency and lowers operational costs.
6. Modular Setup creates customization in power allocation
Modular chargers offer flexibility and scalability by using step-wise power modules (e.g., 30 kW, 60 kW, 90 kW). This allows CPOs tremendous freedom in power dispersion, scale up capacity as demand grows, perform targeted maintenance without shutting down entire stations, and ensure high uptime. As seen in deployments by companies like ABB, modularity is key to futureproofing charging infrastructure in India’s fast-evolving market.
While all this is great, how do the benefits from intelligent EV chargers translate into economic returns?
Intelligence in EV Charging Systems has benefits and profitability
Electric vehicle charging using high power chargers is a booming business, however, profitability of EV charging in India is currently a result of certain specific conditions.
Long term profitability of an EV charging station depends on these 4 factors:
- Efficiency of operations
- Reliability, i.e, successful charging
- Cost savings, especially on manpower and maintenance
- Scalability potential
Let’s understand how these technologies can create benefits in these 4 aspects.
Intelligence is powering the next generation of EV chargers.
As networks grow and user expectations rise, only intelligent systems can deliver the flexibility, efficiency, and reliability needed for mass adoption. For Indian CPOs, embracing intelligence in high power chargers is not just a technological upgrade. It is a strategic imperative for operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and long-term stability of their EV charging stations.
For more insights on building future-ready EV charging networks, click here.
Next week, we will understand how user experiences are pivotal for the EV charging ecosystem.
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