BMW And Charge Net To Create 'Electric Highway' By 2018

Updated: Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 11:17 [IST]

BMW New Zealand and Charge Net have set a new standard in electric vehicle charging by announcing the joint venture to create an 'electric highway'.

The partnership set up 100 fast-charging points that will allow an EV to drive from Kaitaia to Invercargill in New Zealand. Charge Net already operates 20 fast-charging points; the next 80 is ought to be completed by 2018.

The stations will also offer a Combined Charging System (CCS) and the latest CHAdeMO connectors. Both combined can add 80 percent charge into an EV in half an hour, making it a stop and 'fuel' point during your road trip.

This is also expected to set the CHAdeMO connector standard for future EVs. Currently, there are numerous types of connectors in use.

Currently, both the EVs on sale in the country, the BMW i3 and Renault Zoe, are CCS compatible and both gives a range of 200kms.

CCS cars can charge on a Type 1 plug, but Type 1 cars cannot use a CCS connection.

So, the future is set: expect most future pure-EVs to be equipped with either CCS or CHAdeMO connectors.

Drivers can pay for their electricity using the Charge Now card, which is similar to a debit card. The average plug-in time is 19 minutes, at the cost of $10 (Rs. 610).