Fast charge station for electric vehicles opens

Australia’s first DC fast charge public electric vehicle recharging station to open in Adelaide.

Motoring club product and service supply company, Club Assist, has commissioned Australia’s first public fast recharge station for electric vehicles, which began operating in December.

It’s the first time a dedicated and accessible fast recharge service has been available to Mitsubishi i-MiEV drivers.

The new Level 3 Electric Vehicle DC Fast Charge System is located at Mitsubishi Motors Australia (MMAL) headquarters in Adelaide and will service Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicles.

The fast charge system supports the imminent launch of Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV car and demonstrates the commitment of Club Assist and Mitsubishi in Australia to the future of this ground-breaking technology, the companies said.

The Club Assist EV charge station means fast and convenient charging of electric vehicles is becoming a reality, with a charge to 80 per cent capacity taking less than 30 minutes and a 50 per cent charge completed in less than 12 minutes. Previously, an 80 per cent recharge took around six hours.

According to Club Assist’s CEO, Stuart Davies, the new fast charge system is an exciting first step in what is a surge in the development and uptake in technology associated with recharging electric cars.

As well as the public system, Club Assist’s Australia Motoring Club partner, the NRMA, has confirmed an order for two Level 2 charging systems, which are designed for domestic and commercial use.

“We commend NRMA’s commitment to supporting the introduction of electric vehicles in NSW, through the introduction of these charge stations,” Davies says.

“The two 240 volt AC 30 amp chargers will be operated by the NRMA in Wynyard and in North Strathfield in coming months.”

Club Assist anticipates commencing installations of additional Level 3 EV Fast Charging systems around the country at the same time.

“We are working also with our technology partners, Aker Wade, to develop a fast mobile charge unit, which will assist stranded motorists,” he says.