DC 'Combo' Fast Charge Stations Tested by GM, BMW
Chevrolet’s Spark EV and BMW’s i3 will be among the first to benefit from an electric car charging system newly standardized by SAE International.
Engineers from both automakers spent “several days” joint testing DC “Combo” Fast Charge Stations from various suppliers and now say they are confident the systems can consistently replenish 80 percent of an electric car’s energy in about 20 minutes.
“This unprecedented cooperation among OEMs and equipment suppliers demonstrates the maturity of this important technology that will help speed the adoption of electric vehicles around the world,” said Britta Gross, GM director, advanced vehicle commercialization policy.
SEE ALSO: 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV to Go Fast, Charge Faster
By agreeing on a standardized charging system, manufacturers will make it easier for electric car owners to access and benefit from a growing infrastructure network.
It will make finding a place to charge electric cars easier while simultaneously simplifying their use by creating a single charge port for the car that can use both alternating and direct current.
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Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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Wow. Charge 80% of a 20 kWh battery in 20 minutes. That's a whole, what, 40 miles? Or a hundred miles with a tesla supercharger in 20 minutes and the 85 kWh battery. Tesla hopes the market will decide who wins. SAE, GM, BMW, and all the others hope Tesla will give in. It'll be interesting to watch!