ABB has been selected to supply its Terra HP charging stations as part of an ambitious plan to install electric vehicle infrastructure across the United States.
The chargers, which can refresh even the largest electric vehicle battery in under 15 minutes, were selected for deployment by Electrify America, which plans to place hundreds of charging stations within and around 17 metropolitan areas and along multiple nationwide highway corridors, the company said in a statement. Electrify America plans to place chargers on its highway routes at intervals of no more than 195 kilometers to ensure drivers can be confident they’ll be able to reach their destinations.
“Electrify America wanted experienced partners to deploy high power charging technologies that equally serve every battery electric vehicles today, as well as the next generation of large batteries, and we’re pleased to have ABB as one of our key suppliers,” said Seth Cutler, chief engineer, Electrify America. “These new charging systems are designed to provide an optimal driver experience – offering fast, convenient and reliable service whenever and wherever they need it.”
“We are proud to be chosen for this historic project to support a world-class EV charging network across the United States,” added Greg Scheu, president of ABB’s Americas region. “Our Terra HP systems will ensure that sustainable e-mobility is supported with industry leading, high power charging technology, and will remain so into the future.”
The ambitious effort will undoubtedly accelerate the adoption of EVs in the coming years. Nearly 200,000 EVs were sold in the U.S. in 2017. However, the country’s charging infrastructure hasn’t kept the pace required to spur mass adoption of electric transportation. Among some prospective consumers, “range anxiety’’ – wondering if they will find someplace to recharge their batteries during a road trip – continues to be a deterrent when it comes to electric vehicles.
The Terra HP, which can operate at powers of up to 350kW, is able to add almost 320 kilometers of range to an EV in a time frame not much longer than needed to refuel a gas engine vehicle. ABB’s Terra HP chargers are compatible with both the CCS and CHAdeMO DC fast charging standards, enabling drivers to buy the electric vehicle of their choice with confidence that it will work at all of Electrify America‘s charging sites.
