Thousands of workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, and municipalities are overspending on EV charging due to two common issues. First, losing access to a management platform—when major EV charger network providers shut down, they often leave behind stations that are either free to access by anyone, or completely unusable. Second, many property owners who installed non-networked chargers, or inherited them through property acquisitions, eventually realize they can no longer afford to give away free electricity.
If you’re paying out of pocket for EV charging due to outdated equipment or a failed service provider, the solution is simple: bring your chargers under management to prevent unauthorized or unpaid use. But how?
Before you start upgrading, beware of common misconceptions that can lead to unnecessary spending and complexity. Liberty Plugins offers a cost-effective solution that integrates with your existing chargers, enabling you to monetize and control access—without replacing all your hardware.
Let’s debunk the myths that make EV charger upgrades more expensive than they need to be.
TLDR; Liberty Plugins is the only solution provider who can help you upgrade your existing chargers with all the features you’re looking for. Give us a shout and let our team help you here.
Myth
You Can’t Upgrade or Add Smart Features to “Dumb” Chargers
Older EV chargers were built for one job—charging cars. Today, businesses and users expect more: payments, access control, and usage tracking. Most sales reps will tell you that upgrading means buying all-new equipment—even if your chargers work perfectly fine.
Truth
Liberty Lets You Upgrade Your Existing Chargers
With Hydra, you can control, meter, and monetize all your chargers—without replacing them. Liberty Plugins enables centralized management across different brands, including non-networked and DC-fast chargers, ensuring seamless, future-proof operation.
Liberty means smarter upgrades, more control, no rip-and-replace.
Myth
The Lowest Upfront Cost Is the Cheapest Option
Some vendors lure buyers in with low upfront costs, only to lock them into high-margin, multi-year contracts. By bundling equipment, software, and financing, they maximize their profits—often at the expense of system owners, employers, and housing providers. A quick cost analysis often reveals that both owners and users pay far more in the long run.
Truth
With Liberty, You Own US-Made Equipment and Pay Less Over Time
When comparing options, look at the total cost of ownership. Some providers price their hardware low to hook you into service contracts that, over time, could cost twice as much as Liberty for the same features.
We prioritize transparent pricing, flexible agreements, and fair service fees so you can confidently invest in your infrastructure—while passing the best pricing on to your users.
No hidden costs. No overpriced contracts. Just smart investment.
Myth
All replacements must be the same make and model as existing on-site equipment
When you buy chargers from most sellers, you’re more or less locked into their ecosystem until you rip and replace those chargers for another ecosystem. If you want to add more chargers to your system, you need to go back to your charger provider, regardless of whether they are still meeting your needs, or offering the best value. Sure, you could add a parallel system – but then you would have two systems, two apps, and twice the user management to take care of.
Truth
Liberty allows you to mix/match OEMs and bring them all under management
With Liberty, you can add access control and payment methods using the equipment you already have – even when combining multiple makes and model of charger. Unlike other OEMs or charge station management providers, Liberty gives you the freedom to bring existing chargers of virtually any make or model under management in one dashboard and see all of your equipment on the same reports. DC-fast chargers, Level-2, non-networked chargers and smart chargers from other companies are all welcome on our platform.
Myth
“Rip and Replace” is the Only Way to Upgrade
The EV charging market has grown rapidly, with many charging companies and their proprietary software coming and going. If you’re left with outdated or non-networked chargers, most suppliers will push a costly, invasive solution: replacing everything—hardware, software, and infrastructure—with their proprietary ecosystem. This common industry practice, known as “rip and replace,” is as expensive, wasteful, and disruptive as it sounds.
Truth
Liberty Can Upgrade Your Existing Chargers
Charger manufacturers profit from selling new equipment, but there’s a smarter alternative. Liberty’s Charge Station Management System retrofits to your existing chargers, adding essential features like usage tracking, billing, and user access control—without the massive cost of replacing hardware.
Even better, Liberty’s platform is OCPP and OpenADR compliant, ensuring seamless integration with industry standards. That means you can not only breath life into otherwise stranded equipment, but you can also participate in utility demand management programs to maximize cost savings.
Upgrade smarter. With Liberty, you can modernize your EV chargers today—and easily expand your infrastructure in the future.
Liberty has a 15-year track record with thousands of successful installations. What’s kept us at the top of the leaderboards is our simple philosophy – to deliver the most innovative, user-friendly, and cost-effective Charge Station Management System (CSMS) on the market.
No other EVSE provider offers a CSMS that can retrofit to existing charge station infrastructure, meaning that no other provider can give you the flexibility to upgrade your systems on your terms, or offer the managed access and monetization we specialize in.
Let’s collaborate – contact us today to see what solution is right for you, and visit https://www.libertyplugins.com/solutions/retrofit/.