In this episode of Field Frequency, Jason is joined by Brian Bradford, Commercial Lead at Universal EV Chargers, a Texas-based charge point operator with a rapidly expanding national footprint. Brian shares his journey from traditional energy and infrastructure, including early career experience during the Enron era, into the evolving EV charging landscape.
The conversation explores Universal EV’s evolution from Level 2 deployments to a focused DC fast charging strategy, emphasizing utilization, capital efficiency, and reliability as the core drivers of sustainable growth. Brian outlines Universal’s disciplined CPO-only model, its approach to hardware and software flexibility, the role of public funding such as NEVI, and how customer experience, uptime, and regionalized operations shape long-term success. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on policy headwinds, market maturation, and what “winning” looks like for Universal EV by 2030.
Show Notes
Guest:
Brian Bradford, CCO of Universal EV Chargers
Topics Covered:
- Brian’s career path from traditional energy and infrastructure into EV charging
- The origin of Universal EV and its roots in Universal Solar and Universal Green Group
- Transition from Level 2 charging to a DC fast charging–first strategy
- Current portfolio overview, including L2 and L3 port counts and multi-state expansion
- Universal EV’s CPO-only business model and focus on operations, maintenance, and service
- Balancing utilization and capital cost as the foundation of site profitability
- Site acquisition strategy, regionalized construction, and maintenance optimization
- Hardware and software selection in a fragmented, commoditized market
- Universal’s approach to uptime, reliability, and owning the customer experience
- Leveraging proprietary software, 24/7 service teams, and OEM partnerships
- Public funding strategy, including NEVI and state-level grant programs
- Lessons learned from early funding challenges and industry maturation
- Enhancing driver experience through loyalty programs, pricing models, and AI-driven tools
- Policy volatility, market headwinds, and long-term demand for EV infrastructure
- Universal EV’s five-year vision for growth, consolidation, and customer loyalty
- The future of EV charging stations as grid-edge energy assets
