Global solar inverter maker Fimer has made a canny detour into the electric mobility market, with the launch of a range of AC and DC electric vehicle charging stations and wall-boxes, including a 15-minute fast charger.
The Italy-based company – which bought the solar inverter business of ABB last year – said on Thursday that it is rolling out five purpose-built EV charging solutions, targeting homes and businesses, and offering “outstanding” levels of charging efficiency and flexibility.
“We are proud of our strong track record in harnessing the power of the sun for sustainable energy,” said Fimer’s managing director of e-mobility, Gaetano Belluccio.
‘The introduction of our new EV solutions marks a step forward in our ambition to drive a new era for e-mobility. It builds on our proven credentials in the EV sector, where we have already installed more than 30,000 solutions since 2017.”
For Australian EV drivers and businesses, Fimer has a big retail presence already established in Australia, and says it will take first orders for the chargers here in December, with deliveries expected in Q2 2021.
For homes, or small public spaces, Fimer is offering a wallbox called the Flexa AC, which it describes as a wall or stand mounted charger that is available in three different models: Stand Alone, Future Net and Inverter Net.
Each of those models offers four possible charging configurations, including 3.7kW, 7.4kW, 11kW and 22kW, and two options, with socket or cord, the company says.
The difference between the three, according to the website, lies mostly in the amount of bells and whistles offered. The Stand Alone is the cheapest of the bunch and offers the most basic plug-and-play “user-friendly” functionalities.
The Future Net has integrated connectivity, including a 3G/4G modem, wi-fi, Bluetooth and ethernet connections, so it can talk to your other devices; while the Inverter Net can do all of the above but will also communicate with your residential Fimer inverter, should you have one.
These chargers also come with what Fimer describes as a “quick fixing solution” which apparently allows users to easily disconnect the wallbox and move it to another place, or even use it as an emergency charging cable.
For commercial installations, like parking lots and supermarkets, the company has three product offerings: the Fimer Flexa AC Station, the Fimer Flexa AC Wallbox, and the Fimer Electra DC Station.
The Flexa AC charging station can charge up to two vehicles at the same time in alternating current and comes in two different configurations, the first with two type 2 AC sockets, the second with one type 2 socket (power up to 22kW) and one type 3A socket (power of up to 3.7 kW). As with the home chargers, these are also available in Stand Alone, Future Net, or Inverter Net.
The Fimer Electra DC Station (picture at top of article), which would suit public parking lots or highway installations is described as “a next generation fast charger for electric vehicles, that can charge up to three vehicles at a time.
Fimer says that, based on the number of EVs connected to the DC outputs, the charging station dynamically distributes its maximum power and can (in DC Mode) charge an EV in under 15 minutes. These stations can also be upgraded after installation, to add power modules and increase charge capacity.
“With this launch, we are continuing to build on our heritage and expertise to create a range of sustainable solutions that will provide fast, efficient charging for generations to come,” said Fimer chairman Filippo Carzaniga.
“We are proud to be championing this new electric era and look forward to working with communities across Europe and beyond to drive broader EV adoption rates.”
Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and deputy editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.