California Issues First Type Approval for Commercial Electric Charging Equipment

By Kristin Macey, CDFA Director of Measurement Standards

As with most new technology, the future arrives first in California. The adoption and explosive growth of electric vehicles (EV) is no exception. Today, the Golden State accounts for almost half of the nation’s electric vehicle sales and approximately thirty percent of all public electric charging stations.

Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), units that deliver electricity to light-duty vehicles, are considered commercial measuring devices when used to sell “fuel” to EV drivers.

Recognizing the need for consistency and fairness in this new commercial space, CDFA began enforcing a new regulation on January 1, 2021 that requires all new Alternating Current (AC) EVSE to charge EV drivers for energy by the kilowatt hour. All newly installed commercial AC EVSE must undergo a type evaluation process just like all other commercial weighing and measuring devices.

The first-ever type evaluation and approval of a commercial AC EVSE in the US was performed by CDFA’s California Type Evaluation Program(CTEP). A certificate of approval was issued on February 25, 2021 to EverCharge, Inc., a San Francisco-based EVSE manufacturer. Fifteen other manufacturers from the U.S. and Canada have applied for CTEP approval and their devices are currently under evaluation.

This work is part of CDFA’s charge to regulate all commercial weighing and measuring devices within its borders. To accomplish this task, the Department’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) works closely with county sealers of weights and measures, who routinely register, test, and seal over 1.6 million scales, meters, and other commercial devices used to buy or sell products and services.