ChargePoint introduces new 24 kW express charging station
23 June 2015
ChargePoint has introduced the 24 kW Express 100 compact DC fast charger, designed for businesses including retail locations, restaurants and convenience stores. Earlier this year, ChargePoint announced the Express 200, a 50 kW output DC fast charger with a maximum charging rate of 200 RPH (miles of range per hour); the Express 100 can provide 100 RPH.
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With its compact design and state-of-the-art power conversion electronics, the Express 100 is one of the lowest cost DC fast chargers available. The station is designed to isolate critical electronic components from the outside environment, increasing reliability and performance, and with remote diagnostic capabilities, the ChargePoint Support team instantly detect problems thereby reducing down time.
Express chargers give drivers the ability to recharge in just 20-30 minutes and are crucial for long distance travel as well as quick recharging around town. In January, ChargePoint announced a partnership with Volkswagen and BMW to create Express corridors on the East and West Coasts. There are already 144 Express locations on the ChargePoint network.
Also this year, ChargePoint unveiled ChargePoint Home for single-family homes and ChargePoint Multi-family Home Service for apartment and condo dwellers.
Drivers can find charging stations and see their availability in real-time at ChargePoint.com or with the free ChargePoint mobile app. To start a charging session, drivers simply tap their ChargePoint card in front of the station, use the ChargePoint mobile app or call the 1-888 number printed on the ChargePoint station.
OK for work places, restaurants, shopping malls etc but too small for en route extended range BEVs.
Posted by: HarveyD | 23 June 2015 at 03:26 PM
This shows the limitations of current charging technology.
The charge time is about the same as or greater than the drive time on long runs.
If you have a leaf with a 74 mile range and you have to put 24 KwH into it, it will take an hour.
Then you can drive for another hour and a quarter at 60 mph.
That is, if you can charge leaf at 24 Kw.
If you can avoid long runs, or if you can do "one stop" journeys you'll be OK.
Longer runs require planning and some waiting, but if you have to wait 1 hour after 1.25 hour's driving, it is not so good.
Posted by: mahonj | 24 June 2015 at 12:55 AM
It's all a matter of application. Imagine the case of travel within a metro area, but beyond the comfortable range of the current crop of 80 milers. For example from a city center to an outlet mall in a nearby suburb, or between two nearby cities. Very likely the traveller will be there for an hour at least, it's the point of the traveling. Same with professional office visits: dentist, atty, CPA, etc. even a restaurant visit will likely be an hour.
These 25 kWh chargers are intended to be cheap enough to be widely deployed and can roughly double the effective range of EVs with a minimum of inconvenience to drivers. EV fueling is not like gasoline (or hydrogen) refueling because it can happen unattended. Any time your car is parked. Which, unless you're a taxi, is most of the time.
Posted by: electric-car-insider.com | 24 June 2015 at 06:43 AM
Future extended range e-vehicles need much higher capacity quick charge batteries. Something like 100 kWh to 150 kWh with 2X to 5X batteries will be doable by 2020 or so.
Current EVs (with the exception of Tesla S-85) are not practical for long distances, specially in cold weather areas.
PHEVs with an on board range extender (ICE or FC) are valuable interim solutions.
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 June 2015 at 07:12 AM
Here's my take on the problem:
a: 70-100 mile range EVs will be around for quite a while (> 5 years) due to battery cost, weight and space considerations.
b: Most of the time, this is OK.
c: Sometimes, you need to do a longer run.
For this, you need an ICE (or a hybrid).
You may already have one (in the family) in which case, you are OK.
else
d: The problem becomes: "what is the cheapest way to have access to an ICE for a couple of days" ?
e: My suggestion would be an Uber like solution for car swapping. You sign up saying "I have a Leaf". Other people sign up with ICEs.
You build a reputation over time.
You can arrange to swap you car for another for whatever reason you like. You might ask to be paid $X / day, or you might offer $X per day - depending on supply and demand.
You could pay extra to have the other guy bring his car to you (or be paid to do the same).
This is a "2 car PHEV" solution and can be implemented any time with the technology we currently have. It requires no breakthroughs, just an app or a website.
I would expect the system to be viable for 5-10 years until full range low cost EVs become available.
or just rent for the few days.
Posted by: mahonj | 24 June 2015 at 10:42 AM