Fixing EV Charging with Better Data: Gabe Klein & Paren’s Push for Standardization
Summary
We sit down with Gabe Klein, Chair of the Advisory Board at Paren and former Executive Director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy & Transportation, alongside Paren CEO Florent Breton and Chief Analyst Loren McDonald. The conversation explores how Paren is bringing much-needed transparency, standardization, and real-time data to the EV charging ecosystem—tracking over 140 million charging events this year alone. The team breaks down the shift from fragmented infrastructure to a scalable, user-centered network, shares insights from automakers and charge point operators, and outlines how better data can drive better business decisions, improve reliability, and help EV adoption reach critical mass.
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Takeaways
Plus check out our new consultancy site: Grid Connections Consulting
Takeaways
- Paren’s data is now trusted across the industry, with some of the largest charging networks preferring their insights in conversations with government and enterprise stakeholders.
- New charging players like convenience stores and automakers have different motivations—focused on customer experience and retail engagement, not just selling electricity.
- Paren’s platform enriches basic CPO data by adding third-party insights like Google ratings, hours of operation, amenities, and even safety factors to improve routing and driver confidence.
- Time-of-use pricing is not yet influencing behavior as intended, showing the need for stronger price signals and better visibility for drivers in real time.
- Paren is operating in listening mode, co-developing solutions with stakeholders based on actual pain points, rather than trying to force-fit generic data tools.
- EV charging station size is increasing, with a national average moving toward five ports per location—signaling industry recognition of utilization spikes and congestion challenges.
- Gabe Klein sees Paren as picking up where the federal government left off, enabling collaboration across siloed private players with accurate, actionable, and standardized insights.
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Creators and Guests
Guest
Gabe Klein
Chair, Paren Advisory Board; Former Director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy & Transportation
Guest
Loren McDonald
Marketing and electric vehicle (EV) evangelist with 35 years experience in executive marketing, content marketing/thought leadership and evangelist roles.