KEPCO has developed Korea’s first electric vehicle charging station, which will bring the commercialization of an electric vehicle earlier than expected. On January fifth, KEPCO made an announcement that the researchers have finished testing and demonstrated the electric charging station.
The new charging station has two types – quick and standard type - using KEPCO’s own proprietary IT technology. It also has other unique features like a remote monitoring system and RFID reader built in. The RFID reader can recognize the customer and process the credit card after completing the charging. The customer will check the charging information through the display on the station. The 50kW battery takes approximately 20 minutes to be fully charged. For the optimal setting, the station takes information such as voltage, current, and temperature from the battery of a vehicle and controls the charging voltage. The charging information will be provided to the customer and deliver to KEPCO electric bill system through PLC and can be added to customer’s electric bill.
Since the testing battery is the same type as Hyundai and Kia Motors will use in their electric vehicles, electric charging station infrastructure could be built before the commercialization of electric vehicles. KEPCO will continue to develop and improve the product by first half of this year. So, that they compete against advanced global companies. The electric charging stations will be first installed in Seoul and rest areas on the highway. After the testing and verification, it will be expanded to other major cities in 2011.
