ChargePoint's Megawatt Chargers Accelerate the EV Revolution
ChargePoint is seriously upping their game with next-gen DC fast charging, hitting a staggering 600 kW for cars and a mind-blowing 3.75 megawatts for big trucks. That's enough juice to power an entire football stadium!
While most EVs can't even handle more than 350 kW right now, ChargePoint's CEO, Rick Wilmer, says they're future-proofing. It makes sense, right? You don't want to build infrastructure that's already outdated. I believe that ChargePoint wants to stay ahead of the curve, especially with China already pushing out EVs that can handle higher power levels. We can´t stay behind.
Wilmer also mentioned that these new Express chargers aren't just powerful; they're also cheaper to install and run - apparently 30% less expensive in both cases. Plus, they're smaller, and can be pre-built and shipped on a flatbed. Imagine that!
Power to the People (and Trucks)
ChargePoint is being tight-lipped about where these monsters will be installed, but they did mention working with "participating utilities." That hints at the massive power demands these chargers require. You can't just plug these things in anywhere, you know? They need serious electrical capacity.
But ChargePoint's got a plan. Their partnership with Eaton, the power management company, will focus on solutions to overcome these grid limitations. These companies announced their intention to work together earlier this year, with a particular focus on the US, Europe, and Canada.
Think of one configuration as a "power block," a 600kW charging cabinet that handles both AC to DC and DC to DC conversion. According to Wilmer, one block can power multiple EVs simultaneously. You could charge 12 vehicles at 50 kW, six at 100 kW, or four at 150 kW. And if you combine three blocks, you get 1.8 MW of power for those beefy electric trucks.
ChargePoint and Eaton are making this possible by cutting out the AC-to-DC conversion in some setups. By connecting directly to a microgrid and just converting DC to DC, they're boosting efficiency. Of course, DC-only microgrids aren't exactly common, but Eaton's working on bringing more online.
ChargePoint is planning a selective rollout starting in the latter half of 2026. Wilmer has a vision of seamless energy flow between the grid, EVs, batteries, and more through a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) system. It is an elegant solution.
This news comes after ChargePoint announced higher-powered Level 2 chargers for homes and businesses. Wilmer believes that better EV charging can help keep sales strong, especially as federal incentives start to fade.
Ultimately, it's about lowering costs and speeding up deployment. If we can make EV charging cheaper, faster, and easier, more people will make the switch.
Source: The Verge