Electric Era has introduced RetailEdge, a next-generation fast charger designed to enhance the retail experience and open new revenue opportunities directly from the car park. Sleeker and more intelligent than before, the platform debuted at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show in Chicago.
Built as an open platform, RetailEdge connects easily with existing retail systems and focuses on three priorities: enabling ROI-positive EV charging, supporting omnichannel retail strategies, and using AI to drive business growth.
Electric Era Founder and CEO Quincy Lee said: “DC fast charging began with speed and incentives, but its future lies in transforming the charger into a fully monetised, omnichannel marketing solution. This is what the next generation looks like, as today marks the beginning of the electric era.”
Extending retail into the car park
RetailEdge introduces two key innovations – RetailEdge Experiences and HaloAI – to help retailers connect the charging forecourt with their in-store and online operations.
RetailEdge Experiences allows retailers to make use of the charger’s premium touchscreen to run loyalty programmes, validate memberships, and promote retail media campaigns. The screen can also be linked to point-of-sale systems to support transactions directly at the charger. Electric Era provides both turnkey and custom integration options, enabling retailers to extend their digital reach seamlessly.
HaloAI is the industry’s first AI platform built specifically for retail-integrated charging. Embedded in every RetailEdge station, it combines charger, vehicle, and session data with real-time contextual awareness to act as a digital attendant. It can assist drivers, resolve issues, and provide information in multiple languages.
Together, RetailEdge Experiences and HaloAI create a connected retail environment. The AI agent will soon deliver personalised promotions and product recommendations – and eventually, support direct purchases from the kiosk or even the vehicle. Over time, its use cases will expand to include shopping guides, product comparisons, and local service information.
Lee added: “RetailEdge with Experiences and HaloAI will enable drivers to make the best use of their time, while our reliable, high-power charger helps them get more range from their charge. I’m excited to see how retailers build on this to create intelligent, branded experiences.”
Faster, more reliable, and better connected
Electric Era’s early DC fast chargers set benchmarks for energy efficiency and uptime. Its patented battery-backed system improves reliability, cuts operating costs by up to 70%, and shortens installation times by reducing the need for major grid upgrades.
The company has achieved start-to-finish installations in as little as fifty-four days, 99.8% per-port uptime, and a 96% positive driver rating on PlugShare. It also launched the Electric Era Charging Network to help users locate preferred charging sites.
RetailEdge builds on this foundation with unified hardware and software designed to optimise performance for charging, retail, and AI applications. Each kiosk offers up to 400kW charging (adding over ten miles of range per minute), a bright all-weather touchscreen with two-way audio, and a low-latency AI system combining Cloud and on-device processing.
Deep integration between hardware and software enables predictive maintenance, self-healing automations, and over-the-air updates. With real-time telemetry, HaloAI can guide first-time drivers, assist experienced users, and troubleshoot issues instantly.
Designed for the forecourt
Early fast chargers were often bulky, unreliable, and hidden at the back of car parks. RetailEdge changes that, combining function with modern design.
Lee said: “The days of hiding chargers in the back of the lot are over. We designed RetailEdge to be an artistic expression of the future – something retailers are proud to showcase at the forecourt, where it enhances the customer experience from the moment they park.”
The thin, compact kiosk features a 27-inch touch and voice-enabled screen with retailer branding. It is engineered to draw attention at the storefront and attract EV drivers, creating new retail touchpoints. With ergonomic cable management, tap-to-pay capability, and HaloAI voice support, RetailEdge integrates seamlessly into the shopping journey.
Engineering for dependability
From the outset, Electric Era’s team – made up of former SpaceX and Blue Origin engineers – has reimagined every element of DC fast charging through first principles. As production scales to meet growing demand, the company continues to refine processes, supply chain management, and in-house manufacturing for improved quality and reliability.
To further strengthen connectivity, the system can include optional Starlink-based communications, allowing remote issue detection and resolution before customers experience any interruption.
Lee explained: “At SpaceX, we realised you can’t send a repair van to outer space when a satellite breaks down, so we engineered our systems to detect and correct errors before they impact performance. We’re applying that same philosophy to EV charging to achieve mission-critical reliability.”
The next generation of EV charging
After years of rapid growth and occasional setbacks, the EV charging industry is entering a more stable, market-driven phase. Reliability and power are now baseline expectations – the next frontier is integration with retail operations and customer engagement.
Electric Era’s retail-first approach aims to make EV charging profitable and dependable while supporting the transition to zero-emission transport.
Lee concluded: “Today, the next generation of EV charging has arrived. With RetailEdge, we are breaking down barriers and moving the industry forward.”
