At the Euroa launch are, from left, ABB’s Steve Amor, energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio, ABB’s David Sullivan and Chargefox’s Evan Beaver.
ABB has been selected by Chargefox as a key technology partner and supplier for its ultra-rapid charging network.
Chargefox plans to build a government backed network of electric vehicle stations connecting major cities in Australia and has opened its first station in Euroa, Victoria, on the Hume Highway, about 160km north-east of Melbourne.
The site features two of ABB’s most technologically advanced high-speed chargers, the Terra HP. The 350kW Terra HP charging stations are the first with liquid-cooled cables to be installed in Australia and are capable of delivering up to 400km of range in 15 minutes.
The Chargefox ultra-rapid network will extend to a total of 21 sites before 2020.
The second Chargefox site, which will also feature two 350kW Terra HP chargers, is planned for Barnawartha North, near Albury, before the end of 2019.
The addition of a further two high-power charge stations on the main corridor between Melbourne and regional Victoria will dramatically reduce charging time for drivers travelling interstate.
“ABB is proud to collaborate with Chargefox and its partners on this innovative venture, the first of its kind in Australia, and to be able to assist in deploying the first of the new generation of high-power charging stations in Asia Pacific,” ABB’s EV charging infrastructure managing director Frank Muehlon says.
“Australia has set itself some ambitious carbon reduction targets and we are delighted that our pioneering charging technology can assist in driving the increased adoption of electric vehicles and the resultant benefits for the environment.”
ABB’s chargers have the CCS charging format, one of the main industry standards. They can also support the Chademo DC fast charging standard enabling them to charge all EVs available and those soon to be released on the market.
The ABB Ability Connected Services digital networking suite portfolio links the charging station to payment platforms and smart grid systems, also enabling smart trip planning by indicating where the next recharge stop will be.
Network operators can perform remote monitoring, remote diagnosis, remote upgrade, online payment and energy management, while ensuring high levels of safety and availability of the charging service.
Fortune Magazine recently ranked ABB eighth on its list of companies that are “changing the world” for advances made in e-mobility and EV charging.
