HOW WELL-CRAFTED SLAS ENSURE LONG-TERM EV CHARGER RELIABILITY
By Ryan Sodamann, Vice President, National Solution Services
Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI)
Driver anxiety. EV anxiety. Both are real … and growing.
Charging a vehicle takes time, planning, and most importantly, trust that the infrastructure will be there when and where it’s needed. That trust is built not just on technology, but on operations. One of the most overlooked operational tools in the EV industry today is the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
What I’ve learned from working across a variety of EV projects is that the most effective SLAs function less like contracts and more like operating manuals. When done right, they help reduce EV driver anxiety by making sure charge point operators, site owners and maintenance teams all understand their roles. A thoughtful SLA removes ambiguity, defines ownership clearly and creates a framework for uptime that drivers can count on.
SLAs as Infrastructure
Every charger might look the same to a driver but behind the scenes, the landscape is far from uniform. Each piece of hardware has its own communication quirks, fault codes and preventative maintenance needs. No matter the model, chargers all have two things in common: they take in power and they deliver it.
Across the industry right now, I’m seeing how important it is to simplify service processes and make them repeatable. This is especially important as networks scale across different platforms and regions. Complexity for its own sake rarely adds value. When SLAs become overly granular without clear focus, they tend to generate confusion rather than results. But when they’re crafted with clarity and purpose, they become powerful tools for driving uptime.
The goal of a strong SLA is to deliver results and not complicate the process. That starts with asking the right questions:
- Who owns what?
- How fast is “fast enough” for emergency response?
- What does “uptime” really mean and how is it measured?
- How are remote diagnostics handled?
- When and how is preventative maintenance performed?
By defining these points clearly everyone involved, from site hosts to technicians, operates from the same understanding.
Aligning for Accountability
One of the main functions of an SLA is to reduce finger-pointing. When a charger goes down, is it the fault of the network? Site owner? Installer? Hardware OEM?
SLAs help eliminate that ambiguity by clearly defining responsibilities and establishing escalation protocols. They also specify KPIs such as response times, resolution windows and uptime targets. These metrics establish clear expectations and hold service partners to measurable standards.
I’ve also found that SLAs are often where trust really starts to take shape. When clients see a clear and organized plan for support and accountability, they know you are there to stand behind the equipment, not just install it.
The Power of Proactivity
Remote monitoring, diagnostics and proactive maintenance have become essential components of a reliable charging experience. Our teams use these tools to address issues before drivers even notice them. An SLA should account for this, detailing monitoring frequency, alert response workflows and even predictive maintenance based on fault trends.
As we look to the future, the industry is poised for even greater complexity. In the next three to five years, we anticipate a wave of green energy integration into EV charging sites including solar, battery storage systems and distributed generation. These alternative energy assets bring new variables to site performance and require even more precise coordination.
FTI’s experience in solar and battery systems gives us a head start in navigating this terrain. But it also means SLAs must evolve to include multi-asset interactions and contingencies for new technologies. The best SLAs will anticipate this shift and lay the groundwork for seamless integration.
SLAs that Scale
Scalability matters. What works for a local site might not work for a nationwide network. By building an SLA with a flexible structure, you can develop an agreement that allows for standard processes where possible and customization where necessary. The end goal should be creating consistent service across all locations.
More than anything, a well-crafted SLA signals commitment. It says, “We’re here for the long haul. We understand what’s at stake. We’re invested in keeping your chargers working because that’s what keeps EV drivers moving.”
The Bottom Line
Reliable EV charging goes beyond technology and taps into deeper elements like trust and commitment to operational excellence. SLAs provide the framework that transforms this commitment into measurable results.
We are ultimately delivering confidence. As the market expands, the true leaders in our space will be the ones who quietly ease EV driver anxiety by prioritizing uptime and delivering consistent, dependable service at every site. More satisfied drivers means more EV cars on the road. Every charger is an opportunity for a promise kept.
When the fear of an EV road trip fades into the rearview mirror, we’ll know we’ve replaced uncertainty with trust and turned EV adoption into a movement, not just a market.
Bio:
Ryan Sodamann, Vice President, National Solution Services at Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI), is a driving force behind innovative EV charging solutions. With extensive expertise in service level agreements, nationwide distributive services and Network Operations Center (NOC) management, Ryan optimizes uptime and efficiency for EV infrastructure. His strategic leadership in asset management and preventative/reactive maintenance ensures seamless operations, making him a trusted authority in EV servicing.
