Finnish EV charging company Kempower is partnering with Brisbane company Smart EV Solutions (SEVS) to deliver rapid and ultra-rapid DC chargers to South Australia.
Kempower, a member of the Kemppi-Group – which is probably most well known for its global welding machine brand Kempi – is to deliver more than 50 rapid and ultra-rapid DC chargers to the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia (RAA).
More than 50 DC rapid charging sites will be installed across South Australia’s EV charging network, making South Australians among the first EV drivers in Australia to benefit from Kempower’s rapid EV charging technology.
“Our technology is designed to help EV drivers recharge and carry on their journeys as quickly as possible,” said Tomi Ristimäki, CEO of Kempower. “For a place like South Australia – which is almost three times the size of Finland – we acknowledge just how crucial this is.”
The rapid charging sites will offer CCS2 plugs and can produce 150kW maximum output, while the ultra-rapid charging sites will offer both CCS2 and CHAdeMO plugs and can produce 200kW maximum output. According to SEVS, a total of 37 150kW Kempower C Stations and 17 x 200kW C&S Series will be supplied to RAA.
According to the RAA, a shipment of EV chargers has already set sail from Finland, with the first units due to arrive in Adelaide this week.
“DC rapid and ultra-rapid infrastructure will play an important role in helping EV drivers travel greater distances across the State, which is why we’ll be installing this infrastructure along key transportation corridors for SA’s border-to-border network,” said Nick Reade, CEO of RAA.
The Kempower rapid and ultra-rapid DC EV chargers will be deployed along South Australia’s EV charging network (below), which is being built with the support of a $12.4 million state government grant.
Rollout of the network is expected to start before the end of the year, though it is as yet unknown when the first operational AC charging sites will begin operating. Installation of DC charging sites along the network is expected to commence in 2023 and continue into early 2024.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.