Heliox to cater to growing demand for “on the go” chargers at forecourts
- Showcased at COP26 chargers will be made available on forecourts and public locations across Europe
- As the fuel retail sector is forced to adapt to the rise of electric vehicles, Heliox has begun providing the Rapid 50kW and Rapid 150kW Modular for passenger cars
16.11.2021 — Heliox, a European leader in fast-charging systems for electric vehicles (EVs) has today announced the expansion of its charger portfolio, marking its first steps into the passenger car sector with the launch of two high-power chargers (HPCs) — the Rapid 50 kW and the Rapid 150 kW Modular.
Both products are being introduced live during the Nordic EV Summit in Oslo and eMove360 in Munich.
Since its launch of the 180 kW Flex charger in October 2021, Heliox has been continuously innovating and building a flexible and high-powered Charger Portfolio from 25 kW to 600 kW. The newest additions are two rapid-charging solutions specifically designed for cars and light vehicles, locally produced to reduce carbon footprint, and are introduced at a crucial time for the EV industry. The launch of these chargers will help to ease ongoing “range anxiety” faced by e-vehicle owners, with recent research from AlixPartners showing that 45% of EV owners are concerned about the availability of charging stations. By increasing capacity across Europe, these chargers will allow forecourts to provide the necessary charging infrastructure for EV drivers at the pump.
The Rapid 50kW All-in-One is best suited for fast charging at public locations especially retail and hospitality locations. Following the CHAdeMO, CCS and AC type2 charging standards, the Rapid 50kW can be used with every modern electric vehicle in Europe and has the capability to charge two vehicles simultaneously with AC and 1x DC. One hour of rapid charging provides enough energy for roughly 75 miles. The concern of not finding a charging station in time or needing to spend hours over hours waiting in a remote location whilst a vehicle charges are set to become a thing of the past.
The Rapid 150kW Modular is a High-Performance Charger consisting of a power cabinet and a pedestal, acting as an ideal solution for motorway and public charging. Its modular design makes it future-proof, and deploys easy-to-use technology. Therefore, a key feature is the ability to easily increase the charger’s power in the future from 100 up to 300kW. The pedestal is equipped with two CCS outlets, while the touchscreen and integrated payment terminal make it a functional product. After identification with the RFID reader or a direct payment, the user only needs to connect the plug with the vehicle to automatically start the charging process. A 20-minute charging session with the Rapid 150kW modular provides enough energy for approximately 186 miles of travel.
A turning point in the HPC segment
As the price of fuel reaches a new high, the demand for delivery services and non-fuel retail is growing.
“We are now seeing the effects of the pandemic on the fuel retail industry, and one of them is a fundamental shift in customers and businesses behavior. Fleets are getting more and more electrified, powered by the trend of delivery and out-of-home consumption. To answer that trend in mature markets such as Europe and the USA, the fuel industry needs to direct its focus from vehicle needs towards customer needs,” said Michael Coljin, CEO of Heliox Group.
The EV value pool, growing rapidly, is expected to reach £2.2 billion by 2030 in the UK with the biggest area for potential being on-the-go, rapid charging. Worldwide, consumers have spent twice as much on electric car purchases in 2020 than in 2019, equating to $120 billion. The first half of 2021 has already recorded a 160% growth in total no. of EVs globally. Governments all over the world increased their spendings on direct purchase incentives and tax deductions for electric cars year-on-year by 25%. However, government spending on electric vehicles shows a downward trend, with only 7,000 charging ports added to UK infrastructure in 2020. In the EU currently, only 1 in 9 of all public chargers are suitable for fast charging.
“We need high power charging to become more efficient and easy to scale to meet the growing demand of EVs on the road. That is why we are proud to present our first EV chargers in the passenger vehicle segment, which we have already implemented in Glasgow to power both First Bus e-buses and passenger vehicles at the Caledonia Bus Depot and plan to push further in Europe,” says Colijn.
Heliox will introduce the chargers to the European market on the 10th and 11th of November at the Nordic EV summit in Oslo, Norway and on the 16th-18th November at the eMove360 in Munich, Germany.
About Heliox
Heliox provides world-class smart energy management solutions that are tailored and scalable within a fast changing e-mobility landscape. We are working towards a sustainable world where a seamless charging experience is the standard for every electric vehicle, and this transforms the way we power our everyday. Founded in 2009, Heliox is the market leader in fast charging systems within public transport, e-trucks, marine, mining and port equipment. In 2017, the company installed one of Europe’s first and largest rapid charging networks for the e-bus fleet in Eindhoven, The Netherlands; and over the past two years, has created ‘model city’ energy ecosystems around the world in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Glasgow, Scotland and Montgomery County, Maryland (USA).
Operating globally, the company is headquartered in the Netherlands with local presence in Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Spain and the United States.
For more information, visit us at: https://www.heliox-energy.com
