Jet’s roll-out of its Jet Charge EV offering is being bolstered by tech that allows chargepoints to store electricity harnessed when demand and grid prices are low, later using this power to charge vehicles.
The cost-saving measure comes from chargepoint firm Nidec, which is supplying Jet with its ultra-rapid DirectPower PS chargepoints, complete with battery units to store electricity.
The first of Jet’s Nidec units is operating at its Brentford forecourt and features a 110kWh battery pack. With a typical EV such as a Tesla Model 3 Long Range having a 75kWh battery, this configuration would be good for more than two vehicle recharges, assuming the cars are charged from 20% to 80%, which is a typical session.
The battery packs are modular, meaning more cells can be added should operators wish to upgrade the chargers, with mega-Watt-hour (1,000kWh) configurations possible. Further Jet Charge Nidec units will be installed as the year progresses, while Jet absorbs the cost of purchasing the machines, leasing land from site owners to operate them.
Nidec engineers and manufactures the units in Germany. As well as the battery facility, they feature a large digital screen that can be used for advertising, while their fascias can be customised with operators’ liveries. A cable recovery system, meanwhile, keeps heavy charging leads off the ground and makes recharging easier for older people and those with disabilities.
Another operator, EG-OV, is using Nidec chargers and batteries in conjunction with generators powered by HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil, a cleaner diesel alternative), with this configuration designed for sites without the necessary grid connections.
Combining batteries with EV chargers is just one of the developments taking place in the fast-moving world of EV chargepoints. Polish firm Willbert, for example, combines EV charging with food-to-go ordering, while Nayak’s EV Kiosk can control multiple chargers from one central payment and data terminal.
Yet while Top 50 Indie forecourts have increased their EV chargepoint numbers by 64% over the last year, issues with grid connections can add years to installations.
