New chargers herald electric revolution

The latest charger from the Swedish-Swiss multinational ABB promises to be the fastest charger in the world. The new charger has a maximum output of 360 kW and is capable of fully charging any electric car in fifteen minutes or less.

“ABB is playing a key role in enabling a low carbon society,” said Theodor Swedjemark, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at ABB. “With road transport accounting for nearly a fifth of global CO2 emissions, e-mobility is critical to achieving the Paris climate goal. We will also lead by example by switching our entire fleet of more than 10.000 vehicles to non-emitting vehicles.”

Earlier this year, Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters wrote an invitation to tender for the installation of ultrasonic chargers at 68 locations along crucial traffic routes in Flanders. This should ensure that there is an ultrasonic charger on the motorways at least every 25 kilometers.

The need to cover longer distances is real and exists not only for private users, but certainly also in the distribution sector. Increased e-commerce is creating more and more traffic pressure in our cities. Cities that are challenged to maintain their commercial centres, become climate neutral and at the same time respond to the multiple passages of e-suppliers.

That is why we are seeing more and more car producing companies carrying out pilot projects and entering the commercial market with electric trucks. However, these vehicles cannot simply be pulled over for charging. In Germany, the first successful tests have now been completed with fully charged trucks that can travel 1200 km on one electrical charge.

With a spectacular development of battery technology, the conditions are in any case good. Price developments and increasing pressure to make the logistics sector more sustainable are also creating a favorable climate for truck manufacturers to take steps towards serial production.