The partners are collaborating as part of a consortium supporting the FastCharge research project, which was launched in July 2016 with total funding of 7.8 million euros from the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. In mid-December the companies presented their latest progress in developing fast and convenient charging technology for electric vehicles when they launched the prototype of a charging station with a capacity of up to 450 kW. Electric research vehicles created as part of the project were driven up to the ultra-fast charging station, where the partners demonstrated that charging times of less than three minutes can be achieved for the first 100 kilometers of range and 15 minutes for a full charge (10-80 percent state of charge, or SOC for short).

The new charging station can be used for free right away and is suitable for electric models from all brands that carry the Type 2 version of the internationally widespread Combined Charging System (CCS), as is commonly used in Europe. For its part, Phoenix Contact has contributed its fully CCS-compatible cooled HPC (High Power Charging) cables, which help to meet the demands associated with fast charging at high capacity.

It is anticipated that fast, convenient charging solutions will make electromobility much more appealing. Increasing the available charging capacity to up to 450 kW - which is three to nine times what current DC rapid-charging stations can deliver - is a crucial prerequisite when trying to significantly cut charging times. The FastCharge project is now looking at the technical conditions that vehicles and infrastructure need to meet in order that these extremely high charging capacities can be utilized. The forthcoming HANNOVER MESSE in April 2019 will be a perfect opportunity to stop by the Phoenix Contact stand and find out about the latest developments in the project.