Most people see electric vehicles; Kameale Terry sees opportunity. The former banking industry worker realized what every EV needs: battery power. So the entrepreneur plugged into the ever-expanding car charging network.
Terry grew up in Los Angeles, California. In 2016, she began working with EV Connect. The company makes software for EV charging stations. She offered “driver support” to drivers who encountered problems at a station.
Customer complaints like “This card reader isn’t working,” “The machine stopped mid-charge,” “I’m getting an error message,” alerted Terry to a need.
“When I saw that the charging experience wasn’t a great experience, I wanted to figure out how could I be helpful,” she says. It’s an impulse rooted in Christian love: seeing a need and wanting to meet it. (1 John 3:17)
Another observation led Terry to EVs. As an LA native, she had firsthand experience with air pollution.
“I am in a community that’s near like three freeways,” she says. Her work at EV Connect showed her links between air pollution and some diseases. She believes EVs could help reduce some of the infamous smog in her hometown.
The need for dependable stations, the benefits of less pollution, plus the desire to provide jobs forged Terry’s big idea.
In 2020, Terry co-founded ChargerHelp. The company trains technicians to repair charging stations, reducing station downtime.
When an EV charging port has a mechanical or electrical problem, the manager of the business where it’s located submits a request via an app. If possible, a technician provides quick remote assistance. For problems that require in-person help, ChargerHelp dispatches a technician.
Clyde Ellis is a ChargerHelp field service manager. He’s seen a variety of damage to EV chargers. At one site, a car plowed into the unit. Oof. At another, thieves cut out copper cables. Boo. Then there are squirrel, frog, ant, and other insect invasions. Yikes.
“There was once a honeycomb with honey dripping out of the side of the station,” he recalls. Not so sweet.
People disagree about EVs. (See Study Exposes True Cost of EVs at teen.gwnews.com.) Besides the hassles of charging, critics point out that almost all electricity still requires coal, oil, or gas to operate. Further, they assert that government support of the EV industry drives taxes and utility costs up.
Even automakers like Ford and GM are scaling back EV plans, according to CNBC.
EVs likely have a rough road ahead. Terry says that for the vehicles to become mainstream, people must be able to trust EV chargers. For her part, she’s determined to solve that problem.
Why? Seeing a need and finding ways to meet it is an important—and loving—skill worth developing.
