During the Nordic EV Summit, considered Europe’s most important conference and meeting on electric mobility, Circontrol exhibited a range of charging solutions ideal for car parks and fleets.
One of the products the company showcased is a 43-kilowatt charger, perfect for charging fleets with vehicles that can charge on Alternating Current (AC) and have large batteries.
“With this equipment, you can have your fleet of delivery vans or small trucks charged in a short time, which is very convenient, particularly for vehicles that charge overnight,” explains Joan Sardá, Marketing & Communication Manager at Circontrol, in dialogue with Mobility Portal Europe.
He continues: “It allows providing the necessary energy quickly and in AC, which is convenient to avoid purchasing a Direct Current (DC) unit when the infrastructure doesn’t yet require it.”
While AC posts are usually 22 kilowatts, this particular one was designed to supply 43.
“It’s hard to find another manufacturer on the market that goes beyond 22 kilowatts in AC,” acknowledges Sardá.
In addition to providing the necessary power, this product also offers the appropriate connectivity, robustness, and quality.
It’s worth mentioning that this equipment is not new to Circontrol’s portfolio but was introduced several years ago.
However, the reason they decided to showcase it at the Nordic EV Summit is that “it is increasingly in demand.”
It’s clear that fleets composed of electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular due to the cost savings that electromobility entails.
The second product the company introduced is the eNext Park, an AC charger with, in this case, a double single-phase socket.
It offers up to 22 kilowatts of power to charge an average of 130 kilometres in one hour.
“It is recommended for car parks and fleets, whether it’s a wall-mounted or pedestal product,” indicates Sergi Jiménez Ruiz, Area Sales Manager Nordics & Baltics at Circontrol.
Alongside it, the company exhibited the KSensor, which consists of an occupancy sensor with a camera.
This device, which can be installed both indoors and outdoors, allows reading the license plate of up to six vehicles and detecting the occupancy of the charging spots.
“If the light is green, it means one of the spots where we can park is available. And when it’s red, it means they are all occupied,” explains Jiménez Ruiz.
It’s worth mentioning that this equipment is customisable, so different colours can be configured for different meanings.
What is the main differentiator of this product? The fact is that not all cars currently have the possibility of self-charging or Plug&Charge.
“In this case, the license plate information can be sent to the backend, and if the driver is registered, they can perform a Park&Charge experience, where the user connects the vehicle and the transaction automatically begins, without the need for user authentication,” comments the Area Sales Manager.
Not only that, but this device also allows for video surveillance.
Thus, it can be connected to a video recorder, so if a theft or vandalism occurs at the charger or a collision between cars, that information will be recorded.
It also allows for monitoring and detecting when vehicles are parked not using the chargers.
In addition, it offers a series of displays that provide a better user experience, showing, for example, where the charging points are located and how many are available.
“A client who has chargers located near a football field visited us. They told us that on match days, people park at the chargers but don’t use them,” says Jiménez Ruiz.
He continues: “That’s why this solution interested them, as it would allow them to identify which spaces are being misused and take action accordingly.”
A clear success case linked to this product is the one Circontrol carried out at a hospital in Colombia, where they installed over 1600 spots.
“We see many synergies between the charging point and the camera solution,” he recognises.
Finally, the last product the company presented is the Raption Compact, which offers scalability from 160 to 240 kilowatts.
This latest option allows for charging up to 240 kilometres in just ten minutes.
Several modifications have been made to this charger regarding the hardware to improve the user experience.
“We’ve turned the holders to 90 degrees instead of 45 for an easier plug and unplug and also lowered its positioning to pick up the hose. This is to comply with regulations and accommodate people with reduced mobility,” comments Jiménez.
Furthermore, based on market demands, they increased the screen size to 15 inches, as the previous one was eight inches.
“They asked us to show more information to the user, and also, some companies are interested in using that space for advertising or rates,” explains the Area Sales Manager.
On the other hand, Circontrol has incorporated various payment terminals into this charger. In this way, they offer the option to adapt according to each country’s needs.
Also, the company has modified the way the cables are collected to facilitate the equipment’s operation: it used to be pulley-type and is now “arm” type.
Lastly, it’s worth mentioning the distinctive features of this product.
“We continue to focus on having a compact unit, making it a more cost-effective charger to install compared to one with a dispenser and a power unit,” indicates Jiménez Ruiz.
“We also offer the option to request the energy measurement at the charger’s output. So, with this, we tell the customer that we will charge them for what we deliver, not for the charger’s input,” he adds.
This feature is a mandatory requirement in Germany and also in Finland, if you want to charge for energy and not for charging time.
Moreover, other countries are considering it, such as France, Spain, and Norway, which is working on regulation to make “measuring at the output” mandatory.
