Instavolt rolls out higher power chargers providing up to 125kW

Instavolt has started the roll-out of more powerful chargers which it says will speed up charging times.

The first of the ChargePoint Express 250 high-powered chargers, capable of up to 125kW charging, has been installed in Basingstoke, Hampshire. New stations will follow across the UK throughout the summer.

InstaVolt’s existing network of 50kW rapid charging stations will continue to charge the majority of vehicles on the road at their maximum capacity.

However, as new vehicles enter the market with larger batteries and higher-speed charging capacities, ChargePoint Express 250 ultra-rapid chargers and software will enable InstaVolt to offer drivers charging speeds of up to 125kW.

Instavolt says this has the potential to halve charging time for drivers and can add 125 miles of range in just 15 minutes where the vehicle’s battery can accept such charging rates.

Cars with the larger batteries just starting to hit the marketing including the Mercedes Benz EQC, Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron, which are capable of charging at up to 110kW, 100kW and 150kW respectively.

Like all of InstaVolt’s existing charging stations, drivers can pay by simply tapping their contactless credit or debit card, something the Government has recently said that all networks should be capable of by spring 2020.

Adrian Keen, chief financial officer at InstaVolt, said: “This technology has the potential to halve charging time for some of our users, which is incredibly exciting. The electric vehicle space is moving at lightning pace and we’re constantly working to ensure we’re prepared for the EVs of the future.”

Christopher Burghardt, managing director, Europe at ChargePoint, commented: “ChargePoint is committed to creating the new fueling network to move all people and goods on electricity and we are delighted that InstaVolt is continuing to lead the way in making this a reality in the UK. ChargePoint’s ultra-rapid charging solution not only meets the demands of all current EV drivers, but is prepped to surpass the needs of the next generation of EVs with ever increasing battery size and range.”

The new ChargePoint Express 250 chargers will be rolled out across the UK over coming weeks and months. In some cases, they will be retrofitted at InstaVolt’s existing sites. Locations already confirmed for retrofitting with these new units include Starbucks at Corfe Mullen Route 303 Restaurant in Honiton, which was recently listed as one of the top 10 most picturesque places in the UK to charge an electric car.