Does spending on a robust charging network sell electric cars" Or do we first need enough electric cars to justify investment in that infrastructure" Automakers have faced these chicken-or-egg questions ever since all-electric models like the Nissan Leaf and the BMW i3 were first announced.
DC fast charging has been at the core of the debate. While today?s 50-kW CHAdeMo or Combined Charging System (CCS)/Combo fast chargers can restore 75 miles or more of usable range in about half an hour, their usefulness decreases as we look beyond today?s crop of around 30-kWh small cars to the many models expected over the next several years that will pack 90 kWh or more.
The answer, of course, is more power?in the form of 150-kW and 350-kW fast charging. But it?s not as simple as that. Electrical systems need to be upgraded in many cases; vehicle charging systems and battery packs aren?t equipped for it; and neither the hardware nor a finalized standard for it exists yet. That hasn?t stopped the EVgo charging network from breaking ground on a new test station for 350-kW fast charging?in Baker, California, at the site of the World?s Tallest Thermometer. The site, which will open next year, will serve as a waypoint between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, enabling electric cars with ranges of 200 miles or more to comfortably make the 270-mile trip without skimping on climate control or lowering cruising speeds. EVgo said that the Baker site?s chargers will be seven times faster than...