Number plate recognition speeds EV charging

NORWEGIAN energy and technology company, Greenstation, has opened the doors to its first, operational fast charging station in Straume, Norway.

 

The facility features six Kempower S- and C-Series charging satellite systems, each delivering up to 150kW of rapid charging power.

 

Finland-based electrical engineering company Kempower and Greenstation have jointly developed a customized Kempower ChargEye platform to offer EV drivers a “seamless” user experience.

 

At the hub’s opening, Kempower’s CEO Tomi Ristimäki said: “Greenstation sets the new standard for EV charging facilities by delivering truly advanced services to drivers. As a company of EV enthusiasts, we’re delighted to be part of this next-level offering and see our Kempower S- and C-Series charging satellite systems provide dynamic rapid charging capabilities to users.

 

“We’ve utilised the Kempower ChargEye platform to meet and exceed Greenstation’s goals for exceptional customer experience and hope that the unique solution will be well received by EV drivers.”

 

It’s been driven by Norway’s pre-eminent global position in the adoption of electric vehicles with the Scandinavian country boasting the highest market penetration per capita and the largest plug-in segment market share of new electric car sales.

 

In 2021, 86.2 per cent of new registrations were zero-emission vehicles.

 

More than 22 per cent of all passenger cars on Norwegian roads are plug-in EVs. The Norwegian government continues to set ambitious targets, including provisions that all new personal vehicles sold by 2025 be zero-emission. It also aims for 50 per cent of heavy vehicles on the country’s roads to be zero-emission by 2030.

 

The Greenstation charging hub has been designed to cater specifically for increasing adoption of EVs in Norway.

 

The Kempower S- and C-Series six-unit satellite charging system provides up to 150kW of charging power, with dynamic power distribution depending on the car's charging curve, state of charge, battery temperature and maximum charging power.

 

Greenstation and Kempower have designed the charging station with EV drivers firmly in mind. Together, the two companies have taken the charging experience to a whole new level by utilising Kempower’s ChargEye technology.

 

When drivers arrive at the charging station, they can easily find their charger as their vehicle’s registration plate number is displayed on a large info screen next to the charger.

 

They can then plug in their EV and start charging immediately without inputting any tags or accessing any apps for identification.

 

The Kempower charger and info’ screen is connected and synchronised through the Kempower ChargEye platform, allowing customers to see charging information displayed on the info’ screen.

 

Other useful information can also be displayed on the screen such as the various cost options for charging. When charging is complete, the screen guides the customer through payment.

 

Drivers using the Greenstation can pay via card payment, which is different to other charging facilities in the country that typically require payment through an app or radio-frequency identification tag.

 

Greenstation uses a dynamic pricing model, with drivers paying extra to charge more quickly or less if they aren’t in an immediate rush.

 

The facility does offer an app that drivers can download to pay for charging, plus find out how many charging stations are available. If all the chargers are in use, the app provides an estimated waiting time, reducing the likelihood of queues forming at the hub.

 

Leanne Drøyer, head of Greenstation said: “Our Straume charging station is open to everyone.

 

“We give EV drivers a user-friendly and predictable charging experience regardless of their experience and knowledge by offering up to 150kW charging power per satellite with a simple price model and easy payment options.”

 

Greenstation plans to have 10 operational charging stations in Norway by the end of 2022, with that number doubling by the end of 2023. The company also intends to install its charging hubs globally, with plans for 1000 international locations by 2030.