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56 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2026 References 1. "Impact of Electric Vehicle Charging Station Reliability, Resilience, and Location on Electric Vehicle Adoption," by B. Powell and C. Johnson, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2024. 2. Alternative Fuels Data Center, U.S. Department of Energy. 3. "The Importance of Reliable Charging Station Electronics for Building a Sustainable EV Ecosystem: 'R' YOU READY?," by Brian J. Chislea et al., Global Electronics Association, 2025. 4. "National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program Guidance," Federal Highway Administration, 2023–2024. 5. "2025 Annual Reliability Report: The State of EV Charging and the Driver Experience," ChargerHelp, September 2025. 6. "2024 Annual Reliability Report: The State of EV Charging and the Driver Experience," ChargerHelp, June 2024. 7. "Investigation of the Electrochemical Reliability of Conformal Coatings Under High Voltage," by H. Elsinger, A. Hahn, Z. You, and L. Henneken, Proceedings of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, January 2023. 8. "High Voltage Temperature-Humidity-Bias Testing of Electronic Materials on the Outer Layer of a PCB – A Round Robin Study and Beyond," by L. Henneken, Proceedings of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, March 2025. 9. "An Industry Survey to Report and Compare the Understanding of Failure Mechanisms of and Protection Measures Against High Voltage Induced Damages to PCB," by W. Olbrich, Proceedings of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, March 2025. 10. "Connecting EV Charging Station Reliability with IPC Electronics Industry Standards," by B. O'Leary, B. Frizzell, J. Schwartz, and S. F. Rak, The Battery Show North America, October 9, 2024. 11. E-Mobility Quality and Reliability Advisory Group, Global Electronics Association. 12. "Methods Used to Qualify Soldering and Cleaning Materials and Processes," by M. Bixenman, Proceedings of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, March 2025. 13. "From Corrosion to Short Circuiting in Electronics: Investigation of the Detrimental Dendrite Development," by F. Li, R. Ambat, and K. K. Gupta, Proceedings of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, March 2025. 14. "Investigating the Interplay of Ionic Process Contamination and PCBA Component Design on Water Layer Formation and PCBA Humidity Robustness," by A. R. Lakkaraju, M. Bixenman, and R. Ambat, Proceedings of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, March 2025. 15. "Understanding the Crucial Role of Solder Flux Chemistry in Enhancing Humidity Robustness of Electronics," by R. Ambat and S. Bahrebar, Proceedings of the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference, March 2025. 16. "Electrify America to Replace 600 Chargers in California, Invest $172 Million," InsideEVs, October 24, 2023. industry's next reliability gains will not come from higher reported uptime alone, but from engineer- ing systems that consistently initiate, sustain, and complete charging sessions under real-world conditions. It can be achieved by engineering charging systems with the same rigor applied to automotive power electronics, from materials selection and PCB design to assembly cleanliness, environmental protection, and validation testing. Achieving sustained high uptime will require: • Adoption of proven electronics DFR practices • Harmonized standards and test methods for high-voltage assemblies • Transparent, standardized uptime definitions tied to successful charge events • Integration of hardware, software, and com- munications reliability engineering The road to reliable power delivery is not paved solely with faster chargers or denser networks. It is built on durable electronics, disciplined manufac- turing, and system-level reliability thinking. Charg- ing ahead means recognizing that reliability is not a feature; it's the foundation. For designers and manufacturers, high-uptime EV charging infrastruc- ture is built, not just reported. SMT007 Stanton Rak is principal consultant for SF Rak Company, and co-chair of the APEX EXPO Technical Program Committee.