Nissan selects DBT for next-generation DC fast chargers, cuts price on home chargers
13 October 2011
DBT, the largest European charging station manufacturer, announced that Nissan has selected it as one of five companies collaborating to speed the development of cheaper and smaller quick chargers for electric vehicles and to accelerate the installation of publicly-available quick charge points. The program is part of an aggressive rollout of a network of affordable fast charging stations that will provide convenient recharging to Nissan LEAF and other EV drivers.
The new quick charge units can recharge a vehicle’s battery to 80% capacity in less than half an hour while Nissan’s design will allow a significant reduction in price to less than $15,000. This new low price will improve the economics of owning and operating a commercial fast charging station, opening up the market for more rapid growth.
With CHAdeMO and UL certification already completed, the new quick charge units will be available for purchase in early 2012.
In April DBT established US operations in Chicago through the subsidiary DBT USA Inc., and earlier this month DBT was selected to supply 1,500 Level II charging stations through the E-laad project in the Netherlands (the first phase of a program that is expected to install 15,000 charging points over the next 5 years).
DBT USA is currently investigating US locations for a manufacturing facility for the company’s product lines.
DBT has been designing, developing and manufacturing a wide range of EV charging stations since 1992, with six thousand charging points installed in more than a dozen countries worldwide.
Home charging. Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) announced a reduction in the price of the home charging system for the Nissan LEAF to make it more accessible to drivers. The home charging system, developed by AeroVironment and available with the purchase of a LEAF at Nissan dealers, includes both hardware and installation services at a price of $1,818 for a typical home installation.
Although the packaged price has been reduced, the Nissan-approved charging system remains the same, featuring a UL-listed charging dock, on-site consultation, charging dock installation, hands-on user training, 3-year hardware and service warranty and 24/7, single point-of-contact availability.
AeroVironment-certified licensed EV charging experts deliver standard products and services that include charging system testing and verification with or without the vehicle present, household load analysis and panel upgrades, turnkey permitting and a charging dock with 30-amp capability to accommodate future advancements in EV technology, translating into faster charging.
The inconvenient slow charging of public chargers that charge below 50kW will mean that nobody will use them. I have no doubt they will flop. However, the convenience and good economics of public chargers at 50kW or more is making sense. It will not cost much to cover a hole country with 50kW fast chargers and although many people does not have 30 minutes to charge their Leaf from nearly empty to full they do have 12 minutes to check e-mails, have a cup of coffee and charge 10kWh or 35 miles of extra driving. That means the Leaf can go the EPA rated 73 miles plus 35 miles or 108 miles driving at highway speeds with just one 12 minutes stop for charging. This will make cars with fast charging more attractive and useful. I also think that the sale of electric cars without 50kW fast charging or better will flop as soon as manufactories of BEVs with 50kW fast changing can make enough of them to satisfy demand at current prices.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 13 October 2011 at 04:09 AM
Variable speed, wired and wireless, mostly electronic, future chargers will be a lot smaller, lighter and cheaper to buy. Many 220 VAC/40 Amps 8.8 Kw home units will cost less than $1000 when mass produced in Asia. The cost of future 480 VAC/100 Amps 48 Kw commercial units will drop to below $10,000 when mass produced. Three phase, 144+ Kw units, will be common place by 2020, starting with city e-buses applications and quick charge commercial stations.
Manufacturing lower cost improved chargers is not the main challenge. Improved lower cost batteries is.
Posted by: HarveyD | 13 October 2011 at 08:55 AM
The high voltage chargers will be one area old utilities can handle even after residences drop off-grid. But keep in mind that driving patterns will change to accommodate vehicle capability.
The Chevy Volt 240V charger is priced at $490.00 as opposed to Nissan Leaf's charger which costs $2,200. Of course Chevy figured installation at $1500.00 which is absurd since a good electrician could do it for $250. Recall that the Leaf sells for about the same price as the Volt after rebates which is a barrier to entry level owners.
Tesla provides a generic 240V charging cable you can plug in a clothes dryer outlet. No installation or fancy hardware required since charge management is handled by the vehicle - as it should be.
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Posted by: D | 18 October 2011 at 12:18 AM