New EV charger for homes and businesses

The new EVlink Pro AC from Schneider Electric aims to support growing demand for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure amid the increasing business and consumer transition to EVs.

From hospitals, train stations and industrial buildings to retail stores and multi-unit dwellings, the new charging station has been designed specifically for sustainable and efficient buildings of the future, says Schneider Electric.

 It is an advanced solution for electricians and other specialists that meets the world-leading compliance standards set by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in Europe.

The new charging station supports optimised energy consumption, maximised uptime and efficiency, and helps ensure a seamless user experience for EV installers, operators, and drivers, says Schneider Electric, adding the EVlink Pro AC has enhanced repairability with easily accessible spare parts that make the unit more serviceable.

Charging for an hour can provide up to 120km range while a flat battery can be charged to near full in about six to eight hours.

The station includes a modem as an optional accessory.

About 97% of EV owners are charging at home at least some of the time, and the majority are charging off-peak with 69% having access to off-peak pricing plans – 54% of home charging starts between 9pm and 11pm, and 38% of charging stops at 7am, according to an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) survey this year of EV owners.

Public chargers are being used primarily for long-distance travel, with 75% of EV owners using them on long weekend and holiday trips, the survey shows.

Schneider Electric says the latest addition to its EVlink range responds to rising EV ownership in New Zealand, as buyers have reacted to incentives and new infrastructure options, and are demanding more access to public chargers.

EECA’s survey found EV owners want more options, with the most convenient locations identified as supermarkets (63%) and shopping malls (55%), and the most appealing option is to have ultrafast chargers on popular travel routes.

The EVlink Pro AC also provides design flexibility for builders and contractors.

The scalable, modular design with TS2 socket (or attached five-metre cable) includes wall-mounted or floor-standing options.

Fonterra New Zealand has installed four EVlink Pro AC chargers at its Christchurch office.

“We are in the process of transitioning our light vehicle fleet to electric, embracing this new era of driving and charging. This shift contributes to a cleaner environment and supports emissions reduction,” says Fonterra group instrumentation manager Bernard Sutherland.

Schneider Electric has expanded its e-mobility team to support the growing demand for EVs in New Zealand, says Schneider Electric connected solutions national business development manager Liam Vink.

“The popularity of electric vehicles has proved to be recession-proof – take-up has kept rising over the past few years and will grow further as New Zealand moves towards its 2030 emissions goals,” he explains.

‘As such, it’s critical that EV infrastructure keeps pace with consumer demand and that electricians and builders are supported to guide businesses, fleet managers, property owners, and developers through this change.

“Current EV owners do most of their charging at home, but buildings will take on a larger share of the burden as EVs take hold of the car market,” says Vink.

“As public charging options expand, destination charging will become the norm once EVs become the dominant mode of transportation.

“Good load management systems are critical and offer extensive benefits from a facility management perspective – these systems help to ensure that a building continues to run optimally and without interruption while enabling additional EV charging.”

Vink says the EVlink Pro AC is designed to support more advanced load management systems and can allow installers to put multiple chargers into an energy-challenged site and make the most of the electricity available at different times of the day.

Power points can be set up to enable future load demand, without having to put in all the EV chargers from day one, and the admin is all done from the phone and app, so both the installer and purchaser have confidence in a smooth, unfussy process.

“The improved products and infrastructure mean people will charge at destinations like offices, shops and shopping centres, restaurants, parking buildings, schools, hospitals, and movie theatres,” says Vink.

“People will no longer stop to charge; they’ll charge where they stop.”

EVlink Pro AC is compatible with Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure EV Charging Expert, which monitors, controls, and maximises EV charging based on the available power.

It enables businesses to connect their entire digital ecosystem in one space, allowing collection and analysis of critical data in real-time so that businesses can better understand, manage and reduce their energy consumption.

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