Field Frequency

Jason Cortes

Field Frequency sits at the intersection of energy and technology, where innovation powers possibility. Each episode brings you a steady stream of insights, real-world stories, and timely updates straight from the field. From breakthrough advancements and evolving infrastructure to expert perspectives on emerging tech, we uncover the tools, trends, and talent shaping the future of EV, fueling, and the technology that surrounds both industries. Whether you’re deep in the industry or simply curious about where energy meets innovation, Field Frequency keeps you connected, informed, and inspired — fueling the future, one conversation at a time.

  1. 4d ago

    The Easy Problems Are Solved. The Future Is Energy Orchestration.

    Send us Fan Mail About 70% of what goes wrong at an EV charging site can now be fixed with a remote reset. Michael Greenberg of Voltra says that means the easy problems are solved, and what's left is harder: thin electricity margins, multi-vendor sites, grid limits, and physical hardware that still breaks. Michael spent 25 years in enterprise software before moving into EV charging. He joins host Jason Cortes to explain why the market is getting "less sexy" as growth shifts to depots, municipal fleets, multifamily, and workplace charging, and why operators are now fighting for every basis point of cost. They cover how AI agents are changing the way operators monitor and run sites, and why that makes field service a bigger share of the budget, not a smaller one. Michael also makes the case that batteries and dynamic load management will be standard on nearly every new site, that load control is moving from the cloud to on-site controllers, and that flexible interconnects are how operators will get power from utilities that can't supply everything they ask for. In this episode: Why Voltra moved from charger management software to an infrastructure layer for whole energy sitesThe four problems every energy site has to solve at once: connectivity, configuration, monitoring, and maintenanceWhat Europe's operators already learned about making a site pencil out without subsidiesWhere AI helps operations today, and where it stopsWhy truck rolls aren't going awayWhen battery economics work: charge and discharge every dayCanada's push for local load control and what it signals for the USFlexible interconnects and the utility's view of EV charging

  2. Oct 1

    The EV Industry Reset: Charging, Adoption & Fleet Economics

    Send us Fan Mail What changed in the EV industry when building more chargers was no longer enough? In this special 2025–26 season recap of Field Frequency, Jason Cortes brings together insights from nine conversations to examine the EV market reset and what it takes to make electrification work for drivers, charging operators, retailers and fleets. The episode explores why automakers are revisiting products and profitability, why charger uptime doesn’t always mean a successful session, and how reliable hardware, AI support and a simpler driver experience can improve charging. It also examines charging site economics, access beyond the driveway, and the operational demands of electric freight. Featuring perspectives from Kempower, ChargeMate, IONNA, Paren, Stable, Einride, the Transportation Energy Institute, Plug & Play EV, and automotive journalist John Voelcker. How should the industry measure progress? Through successful charges, customers who return, financially viable sites and reliable freight routes. Explore the full interviews at https://fieldfrequency.com/ Follow Field Frequency for conversations about EV charging, critical infrastructure and the people building and operating it. Field Frequency is powered by Field Advantage.

  3. Sep 29

    Stop Investing in Chargers. Start Investing in Systems

    Send us Fan Mail Most EV charging failures don't start when the charger goes down. They start in planning and procurement, long before ground is broken. In this roundtable episode, host Jason Cortes sits down with Grayson Eady (Founder & CEO, eVision Solutions) and Laolu Adeola (Managing Director, Leke Services). Grayson is a former Rivian charging interoperability engineer. Laolu is a fleet electrification veteran who has helped raise more than $2B for EV startups. Together, they break down why cheap infrastructure turns into expensive infrastructure, and what buyers should require before they ever issue an RFP. They cover: Why charging is a "system of systems": hardware, OCPP, charging management software, firmware, cybersecurity, data, and O&MTreating charging like a vehicle purchase, with total cost of ownership instead of the lowest install costA real case where a charger was down 60+ days while every dashboard said "available," and why hardware data logs sat behind a paywallThe "crossed-arm salute": what happens when nobody owns the problemWhy uptime is only the baseline, and why first-time plug-in success and mean time to repair are what separate strong operators from the restBuy Better, their workshop that helps fleets, municipalities, and CPOs build RFPs that screen out bad vendors from day oneWhy the industry needs airline-style data sharing, and why charging should compete on price and amenities, not on whether it worksGuests: Grayson Eady, Founder & CEO, eVision Solutions | Laolu Adeola, Managing Director, Leke Services Host: Jason Cortes Learn more about Buy Better at buybettercharging.com. Field Frequency is powered by Field Advantage, a company that specializes in maintaining EV charger infrastructure. Produced and edited by Autozy (autozy.co). Follow Field Frequency so you don't miss an episode.

  4. Sep 22

    The EV Charging Reliability Problem Nobody Owns

    Send us Fan Mail Reliable EV charging depends on more than functioning hardware. It requires coordination among charge point operators, software providers, equipment manufacturers, site hosts, service organizations, and the technicians working directly on the equipment. In Episode 43 of Field Frequency, host Jason Cortes welcomes Hilary Taylor, co-founder and CEO of WattsUp, for a conversation about the EV charging reliability problem—and the gaps in ownership, information, and accountability that may allow it to persist. Hilary shares how her electrical engineering career took her from wireless EV charging to mobile and megawatt-level charging systems. She also recounts the difficult road trip that helped her recognize the scale of the industry’s reliability challenge and ultimately contributed to the creation of WattsUp. Jason and Hilary examine how hardware, software, environmental conditions, and disconnected service workflows can compound charger failures. Hilary explains how WattsUp seeks to connect the industry’s fragmented systems by combining machine learning, contextual data, prescriptive operational workflows, and structured feedback from field technicians. The discussion also explores why technicians need context in addition to instructions, how environmental and utility data may prevent unnecessary truck rolls, and how predictive insights could support stronger service-level agreements and more consistent uptime. Topics discussed include: Hilary’s journey from electrical engineering to EV chargingThe experience that inspired the creation of WattsUpWhy EV charging reliability is a compounding problemAccountability gaps across the charging ecosystemThe importance of standardized operational workflowsGiving field technicians context—not only instructionsUsing service history to improve on-site decision-makingThe limitations of predictive data without prescribed actionIncorporating weather, utility, and environmental conditionsTurning technician feedback into structured dataStandardization challenges surrounding OCPPPredictive maintenance as a tool for managing SLA riskThe relationship between technician productivity and charger uptimeBuilding greater driver confidence in public charging

  5. Sep 15

    i-Charging: From Fixed Hardware to Adaptive Infrastructure

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Field Frequency, Jason Cortes sits down with Jeff Cohen, CEO of i-charging USA. For most of the last decade, EV charging ran on one question: how many chargers did you deploy? That era is over. The questions now are harder — is the site profitable, is the infrastructure scalable, and when something breaks, how fast is it back online? Jeff brings fourteen years in this industry — GE, ChargePoint, Tritium, and now a Portuguese DC charging manufacturer building out of Atlanta's Curiosity Lab. His read on the market comes down to three shifts. Profitability: the industry moved from land grab to site-by-site business case, and ROI now decides whether a site gets built at all. Serviceability: the old OEM question of "is it in warranty or out of warranty" was always the wrong question — the right one is whether the charger is operational and serviced on time. And scalability: fixed-output hardware forces operators to make kilowatts fit, while adaptive architecture sizes power to the site and grows with it. The conversation gets specific fast. Jason shares a unit that sat dead for nine months — abandoned by its manufacturer, costing the operator $300–400 a month in a single parking space — and took a day and a half to fix once someone actually showed up. Jeff walks through what i-charging does at the site design stage, including an RFP where reading the e-sheets first saved a fleet depot roughly a million dollars in DC cable runs. In this conversation: Land grab to site business case — why ROI, not availability, now decides where chargers goWhy "in warranty or out of warranty" was always the wrong questionFixed-output hardware vs. architecture that scales from 50 kW to 1.6 MWDynamic power allocation: moving power between vehicles in real time instead of stranding it20–25% more power in 60–65% of the footprint — and why space is the real site constraintThe nine-month outage that took 36 hours to fixSubstituting AC runs for DC runs at the design stage to cut CapEx before a charger is ever orderedAvailability, uptime, and charge session success — what to actually measure, and why 40% of service issues are commsCharging education as the industry's unfinished work — even a fourteen-year veteran had to call supporteVTOL charging with Embraer's Eve Air Mobility, and one site serving cars, trucks, and aircraftWhy the next five years bring convergence, not more segment-by-segment funding silos CONNECT WITH JEFF LinkedIn: Jeff Cohen Web: https://i-charging.tech

    i-Charging: From Fixed Hardware to Adaptive Infrastructure

  6. Sep 8

    The Future of Trucking Is Electric. Are We Ready?

    Send us Fan Mail Transportation electrification is moving beyond passenger vehicles and into freight, logistics, and other commercial applications. In Episode 41 of Field Frequency, host Jason Cortes welcomes John Friedrich, Chief Development Officer of Skycharger. John shares his path from environmental and clean-energy work to developing EV charging infrastructure for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. The conversation explores why short-haul and drayage operations may be particularly well suited for electrification, as well as the factors fleet operators should consider when evaluating a transition from diesel. John discusses vehicle range, driver experience, charging availability, replacement cycles, public funding, and potential fuel and maintenance savings. Jason and John also examine Skycharger’s planned charging hub at the Port of San Diego. The proposed project includes 70 chargers—50 of which are expected to use the Megawatt Charging System—to help support the port’s broader clean-air and zero-emission transportation objectives. The episode concludes with a broader look at global EV adoption, infrastructure policy, and why John believes technological progress and economics may continue moving commercial transportation toward electrification. Key topics discussed: • John’s journey into clean energy and transportation electrification • Skycharger’s role as a charge point operator • The growing opportunity for medium- and heavy-duty EVs • Why drayage and short-haul routes may be strong early applications • Indicators that a fleet may be ready to electrify • Vehicle range, charging breaks, and long-haul operations • The planned charging hub at the Port of San Diego • MCS and CCS charging for commercial vehicles • Driver experience and potential operational savings • Public funding and infrastructure development • Differences between EV deployment in the United States and other markets • The long-term influence of technology and economics on electrification

  7. Sep 1

    Electrification Meets Reality: Infrastructure, AI, and Energy Demand

    Send us Fan Mail AI is accelerating. Data centers are expanding. Electrification keeps moving. But behind all of it sits a question that rarely gets asked out loud: where is the power actually coming from? In this episode of Field Frequency, Jason Cortes is joined by Peter Snel, CEO of PetroVybe, for a conversation about the infrastructure behind the headlines. Peter came into oil and gas as an outsider — a management consultant and self-described "business fixer" — and that outside view is exactly what makes his read on the energy chain worth hearing. The chain is simple to say and hard to build: AI needs data centers, data centers need electricity, and electricity needs a fuel source. Peter walks through where that chain is actually breaking — a two-year backlog on turbine manufacturing, turbines that convert only 30–40% of the fuel you feed them, an aging grid, a severe shortage of commercial electricians, and stranded natural gas in the Permian Basin that gets flared off because the pipeline capacity to move it doesn't exist. Jason brings the transportation side: what NEVI-spec charging sites really demand from a utility, why subsidy money was always "nice to have" and never a business case, and how forward-thinking fuel retailers approached EV charging as a commercial offering rather than a replacement technology. In this conversation: • Why having abundant fuel and being able to deliver power are two completely different problems  • The two-year turbine wait list — and the 60% of energy value lost in conversion  • The fleet that tried to go electric and needed more daily power than its entire town produced  • Why the labor shortage may be the hardest infrastructure constraint to solve  • Trapped gas, negative prices, and what those flares off I-20 in West Texas actually are  • The case against building an industry on subsidies — and the honest counter-argument  • Why Toyota's hybrid strategy beat the all-in EV bet, and what that says about reading a market  • Where the transportation ecosystem lands: not all-electric, but genuinely hybridized It's a direct conversation, and Peter doesn't soften his positions. Whether you're building chargers, operating fleets, or trying to understand the grid underneath all of it, this one is worth your time.

  8. Aug 25

    Location, Utilization, Cash Flow: The Basic Economics of EV Charging

    Send us Fan Mail What turns an EV charging site from an ambitious deployment into a financially viable infrastructure asset? In Episode 38 of Field Frequency, host Jason Cortes speaks with Gideon Pfeffer, co-founder and partner of Charge Capital, about the economics behind EV charging infrastructure. Drawing on more than 20 years in commercial real estate and private equity, Gideon explains why EV charging should be evaluated with the same discipline applied to other cash-flowing assets. The conversation examines what the market may have misunderstood during the early rush of capital into EV infrastructure—and why location, utilization and site-level performance matter more than deployment volume alone. Gideon shares how Charge Capital evaluates revenue assumptions, expenses, incentives, operational costs and the evidence needed to validate a project before capital is deployed. Jason and Gideon also discuss the future of the charge point operator model, the likelihood of industry consolidation and the financial importance of uptime and ongoing maintenance. From choosing sites where charging is easy to install to choosing sites where charging is likely to succeed, this episode offers a practical look at the fundamentals that could shape the next phase of EV infrastructure investment. In this episode Gideon’s path from commercial real estate and private equity into energy infrastructureThe capital gap facing middle-market EV charging and energy projectsWhy EV charging infrastructure should be evaluated as a cash-flowing assetWhat early investors may have overlooked about utilization and site-specific demandWhy “location, location, location” still applies to EV chargingThe risks of relying too heavily on incentives or broad EV adoption forecastsHow proof of cash flow affects the cost and availability of capitalAsset-light, vertically integrated and partnership-driven CPO modelsWhy the EV charging market may be positioned for consolidationHow uptime, O&M and reliability affect financial performanceThe importance of validating every assumption in a project pro formaThe demand signals Charge Capital considers when evaluating new opportunities About Gideon Pfeffer Gideon Pfeffer is a co-founder and partner of Charge Capital, a capital markets firm focused on helping middle-market energy developers and charge point operators access debt and equity. He is also CEO and managing partner of the GSH Group and brings more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, private equity and cash-flowing residential investments. Through Charge Capital, Gideon and his team work with energy developers and operators to evaluate projects, organize capital and build infrastructure portfolios. Connect with Gideon and Charge Capital Connect with Gideon Pfeffer on LinkedInEmail Gideon: gideon@charge-capital.comGeneral inquiries: info@charge-capital.comVisit Charge Capital’s website: https://charge-capital.com

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Ratings & Reviews

4.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Field Frequency sits at the intersection of energy and technology, where innovation powers possibility. Each episode brings you a steady stream of insights, real-world stories, and timely updates straight from the field. From breakthrough advancements and evolving infrastructure to expert perspectives on emerging tech, we uncover the tools, trends, and talent shaping the future of EV, fueling, and the technology that surrounds both industries. Whether you’re deep in the industry or simply curious about where energy meets innovation, Field Frequency keeps you connected, informed, and inspired — fueling the future, one conversation at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Cortes
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Field Frequency
  • Show Website
    Field Frequency

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