LG Begins EV Charger Production In Texas

LG Electronics has announced a new factory, opening today in Fort Worth, Texas, that will produce Level 2 and Level 3 EV chargers. The chargers will be part of a production operation that will churn out a claimed 12,000 chargers a year. The chargers themselves are set to be owner-operated, meaning hotels, restaurants, and other businesses can buy the chargers directly from LG and operate the units themselves. Owners can set their own rates for charging, and the profits will belong solely to the venue that owns the chargers.

Production of Level 2 AC chargers is up first, starting this month. These will use the SAE’s J1772 connector with outputs up to 11kW. LG says these are designed for wall mounting (with optional stand) and can be used just about anywhere. Later this spring, production of Level 3 DC chargers will begin. These are the chargers consumers are used to seeing- standalone units with a large touch-screen for operation. The electronics giant even says that revenue can be generated through ads displayed on this screen. These will provide fast charging up to 175kW through both CCS1 and NACS connectors. The latter is rapidly becoming the industry standard, though CCS compatibility means owners of older EVs will be able to charge at these stations too.

Finally, LG will produce 350kW fast chargers “later this year.” No further timeline is provided, but LG’s entry to the charger market should help to flesh out North American chagrin infrastructure over the coming years.

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