Fast-charger to zap EVs in 30 minutes

AUSTRALIA’S first electric vehicle (EV) fast-recharging station in Adelaide will be not be the last, with others destined for capital cities across the country.

The station – installed at Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited’s (MMAL) headquarters in Clovelly Park – can recharge the Mitsubishi i-MiEV’s lithium-ion batteries to 80 per cent capacity in just 30 minutes.

Using a standard 240-volt/15amp household plug, the same batteries take about seven hours to charge fully.

MMAL president and CEO Masahiko Takahashi said the fast-charging station would be ready in three weeks and would be used to re-charge Mitsubishi’s own i-MiEV pool cars as well as customer cars.

“We believe this is not just the first fast-charge station in Australia, but the first in the southern hemisphere,” he said.

Mr Takahashi said the charging station would be “the first of many” in Australia, with others to be installed in capital cities to service EVs.

The Adelaide charging station – a Level 3 Electric Vehicle DC Fast Charge System – was installed in co-operation with motoring club product and service supply company Club Assist.

Club Assist is best known for its car battery replacement service, through motoring clubs such as Victoria’s RACV and 70 other member clubs worldwide.

While Mitsubishi is keen to see the roll-out of such charging stations to make life easier for current i-MiEV lease holders and future EV customers, MMAL vice-president of corporate strategy Paul Stevenson said such infrastructure would become less important as the range of EVs increased with new battery technology.

He said most Australians could charge their vehicles at home overnight anyway.

“I get a bit frustrated when people say the lack of recharging infrastructure is a barrier to the introduction of electric vehicles,” he said.

“That is possibly the case overseas, but no so much in Australia.

“Most Australians live in detached houses, so like your mobile phone, when you get home you plug it in and recharge it and next day away you go.

“In some countries like France they are now legislating that all parking spaces must have an electric vehicle recharging point.”

Despite joining with Club Assist to install the fast charging system in Adelaide, Mr Stevenson said Mitsubishi had no exclusive agreement with any EV infrastructure company in Australia.

Better Place and ChargePoint are among the companies with rollout plans for EV public charging points in Australia.