Schneider Electric, a global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has announced the launch of the EVlink Pro AC to support the growing demand for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
From hospitals to retail stores and multi-unit dwellings, the new charging station has been designed specifically for sustainable and efficient buildings of the future. 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.
Footage of long queues for publicly available EV chargers appeared across the media in 2022, highlighting urgency for a rapid increase in infrastructure. Encouragingly, according to the EV Council's Industry Recap, public chargers increased from 3,413 in 2021 to 4,943 in 2022, with fast chargers up from 231 to 365 during the same period. However, more is needed to meet legislation and support infrastructure in and around buildings.
The new charger, which is the latest addition to Schneider Electric's EVlink range, follows a year-on-year 65% increase in EV sales in 2022. As well as being a sustainable and reliable charging option for drivers, the EVlink Pro AC also provides design flexibility for builders and contractors. The scalable, modular design with TS2 socket (or attached 5m cable) includes wall-mounted or floor-standing options, giving it a customisable look and feel for different installation needs.
"Popularity of electric vehicles has grown exponentially over the past few years and will only grow as Australia moves toward net zero emissions goals. As such, it's critical that EV infrastructure keeps pace with consumer demand. For electricians and builders, this means becoming the trusted professionals guiding Australian construction through this change," commented Farokh Ghadially, Vice President Channel & Partner at Schneider Electric.
"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. While government plans to construct many more public charging options, destination charging will become the norm once EVs become the dominant mode of transportation.
"We will charge at destinations like offices, shops, restaurants, parking garages, schools, hospitals, movie theatres, and bowling alleys. People will no longer stop to charge; they'll charge where they stop," added Ghadially.
EVlink Pro AC is also compatible with Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure™ EV Charging Expert, which monitors, controls, and maximises EV charging based on the available power. More broadly, the EcoStruxure™ platform enables businesses to connect their entire digital ecosystem in one space. This allows for the collection and analysis of critical data in real-time so that businesses can better understand, manage and reduce their energy consumption.
"This launch brings the high-quality, innovative technology of our existing residential range, like the integrated DC leakage protection, to commercial property solutions while adapting for the constant usage and unique needs of publicly available charging infrastructure," said Ghadially. "For electricians, this means they can work on more projects, safe in the knowledge that they can rely on Schneider Electric's superior products and support," he added.
EVlink Pro AC, which is available now, will provide charging solutions for contractors that offer services to developers across all types of commercial property. F
