Just as it happened a few years ago with mobile phones, electric vehicle (EV) users are increasingly advocating for fast charging, and manufacturers are seeking to meet this demand.
One standout in this field is Siemens, the German company that has recently launched the SICHARGE-D.
This is a 400-kilowatt charger that allows up to four cars to be charged simultaneously with a single connection to the grid.
“By the end of April, the first units are expected to be delivered in some European countries,” anticipates Manuel de los Ojos, eMobility Country Manager of the firm in Spain, to Mobility Portal Europe.
In which locations specifically?
According to de los Ojos, the first units could arrive initially in Germany and France, where they already have customers who had the 300 kilowatts ones.
This device provides a distinctive advantage to charging point operators (CPOs) by allowing them to optimize charging times, resulting in economic and space savings.
They can also benefit from its touchscreen, which offers different advertising options, and the ability to integrate a variety of payment terminals that fit the CPO’s payment partner.
SICHARGE D complies with relevant standards, protocols, and regulations, and can adapt to not only current but also future charging needs.
Designed with flexibility in mind, it is ideal for different use cases, such as destination, public fast, or highway charging.
The latter makes it especially suitable, for example, to help countries comply with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), that came into effect on April 13th.
This regulation sets mandatory targets that will result in the installation of sufficient infrastructure in the European Union for alternative fuels, intended, among others, for road vehicles.
Specifically, the regulation proposes deploying at least 3,600 kilowatts of charging power for heavy-duty transport every 60 kilometres on main roads and 1,500 kilowatts every 100 kilometres on secondary roads by 2030.
In this context, the continuous and stable output power of 400 kilowatts from Siemens’ charger will reduce charging times for both EVs and electric trucks, especially on the road.
This will play a fundamental role in increasing the comfort and acceptance of this type of transport.
Furthermore, the firm completes this solution for highway charging with its recent acquisition of Heliox, a technological leader in direct current (DC) fast charging solutions, which serves electric bus fleets, eTrucks, and passenger vehicles.
This addition complements the existing eMobility portfolio of the German company, adding products and solutions ranging from 40 kilowatts to megawatt charging solutions for depots and on-route charging.
Where will the SICHARGE D be manufactured?
According to the eMobility Country Manager of Spain for the company, the unit will begin production at its Leipzig facilities in Germany.
“We also plan to manufacture it at the Corroios factory in Portugal, with the intention of achieving a production level high enough to meet the needs of all European countries,” he emphasizes.
Currently, Siemens has a production capacity of up to 10,000 units per year. However, production targets for this new device are not yet known.
“It would be very ambitious to say that we will reach those levels with this charger,” de los Ojos explains.
It should be noted that, at the moment, production is not considering the use of the Megawatt Charging System (MCS), but will continue to use the Combined Charging System 2 (CCS) to leverage existing infrastructure.
Nevertheless, it does not rule out the possibility of starting to work with the MCS once it is available on the market and adopted.
The big launch of the SICHARGE D is scheduled to take place at the IAA Mobility in Munich, Germany, after the summer.
This annual event, organized by the German Association of Automobile Manufacturers (IAA) in collaboration with the city’s fair, features stands from some of the most renowned brands in the sector.
It constantly reinvents itself in order to remain a leading platform in mobility internationally and a sustainable urban project in Munich.
