Australian electric car charger supplier Tritium has signed a massive new deal that will see it double the number of rapid chargers across the UK, becoming the largest supplier of such chargers in the island nation.
The new Tritium deal inked with UK-based Drive Energi will see two 50kW Veefil-RT DC rapid chargers, which can add up to 50km range to an electric car every ten minutes, installed at each of 2,500 sites.
With around 2,300 such rapid chargers already operational in the UK at over 1,500 sites, according to Fleetworld UK, the new deal with Drive Energi will see that number double by the time the network is completed in 2025, becoming the largest deployment of Tritium chargers in a single network.
At least 100 sites will be operational by the end of January 2020, says Tritium, accompanied by a number of slower AC chargers.
In addition to the charging modules, Tritium will also supply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support for the Drive Energi network, using a model installed in each charger to transmit data to enable efficient, timely help when and as needed.
Tritium, which already has a strong track record for supplying rapid fast chargers in Europe, was chosen by Drive Energi as its sole supplier thanks to the high quality and reliability of its products, Drive Energi CEO James Moat in a note by email.
“We chose to work with Tritium because its technology is proven and its chargers are reliable, robust and trustworthy,” he says.
“These chargers are not only the fastest and most advanced in their class, but incredibly easy to use and, with the world’s smallest physical footprint, to deploy as well – particularly in our cities and high-density areas where space is increasingly limited.”
“As the nation increasingly looks to electrify transportation, and as the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) scheme comes into effect, the need for reliable, smart and easy-to-use charging infrastructure is critical,” said Kevin Pugh, Tritium’s business development manager for UK and Ireland, in a note by email.
“Drive Energi is an exciting addition to the market with a vision to build a new network offering charging confidence with the EV driver’s needs at its core.
“With the average daily commute in the UK in the vicinity of 20 miles (32km), a single 20-minute charge will add about three days of range to an EV. The sheer scope of the proposed Drive Energi network means that people will easily be able to find a charger, no matter where they are and no matter when they need it.”
Tritium’s rapid growth, both locally and overseas, has been marked by the recent opening of new R&D facilities in both Brisbane and Amsterdam, the former of which it says is the largest such EV charging development facility in the world.
The upgrade of the Brisbane facilities in April this year, along with the new Amsterdam facility, will enable Tritium to ramp up production capacity and meet the demands of the new deal with ease.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.