ABB has become the first EV charger manufacturer to break the 350 kW barrier, with the debut of the Terra 360.
Like its name suggests, the Terra 360 is capable of charging an electric vehicle at 360 kW, which makes it the fastest EV charger currently available on the market. That’s because at those speeds drivers could add 100km of range in just three minutes.
Despite offering maximum charging speeds of 360 kW, no car is capable of receiving those speeds. That’s not really the idea behind the Terra 360, however, with the modular charger actually designed to offer up to four cars a share of its charging speeds.
So, what does that mean? Well, it means that if four cars are plugged into the charger, the maximum output of the Terra 360 will drop to just 90 kW. That’s enough to give vehicles a boost of around 210 miles per hour, but it’s significantly less than the 100km of range in just three minutes.
However, if there is only one car plugged into the charger, vehicles should be able to max out their charging speeds – although only for a brief period of time, as the on-board computers on an electric vehicle won’t allow maximum charging speeds when the battery is above a certain level.
The major benefit of the ABB Terra 360 is the fact that it’s a singular unit offering four rapid charging spots, which is a rarity in the industry. It means that high-capacity sites can quickly roll out EV charging spaces without having to install too many units. Where it would previously have taken 20 chargers to cover 40 parking spaces, it will now take just 10.
Terra 360 chargers are fully customisable. To personalize the appearance, customers can ‘brand’ the chargers by using different foiling or changing the color of the LED light strips. There is also the option to include an integrated 27in advertisement screen to play video and pictures.
“With governments around the world writing public policy that favors electric vehicles and charging networks to combat climate change, the demand for EV charging infrastructure, especially charging stations that are fast, convenient and easy to operate is higher than ever,” said Frank Muehlon, President of ABB’s E-mobility Division.
“The Terra 360, with charging options that fit a variety of needs, is the key to fulfilling that demand and accelerating e-mobility adoption globally.”
“It’s an exciting day for ABB, who as the global leader in electric vehicle fast charging, is playing a key role in enabling a low carbon society,” added Theodor Swedjemark, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at ABB.
“With road transport accounting for nearly a fifth of global CO2 emissions, e-mobility is critical to achieving the Paris climate goal. We will also lead by example by switching our entire fleet of more than 10,000 vehicles to non-emitting vehicles.”
The Terra 360 will be available in Europe from the end of 2021, and in the USA, Latin America and Asia Pacific regions in 2022,
