A Brisbane-based company that designs and manufactures smart AC electric vehicle (EV) chargers has launched what it calls the first Australian-made unit of its kind.
The EVOS Fleet Home 22 AC wallbox charger costs $2200, and can be installed with single- or three-phase connections. In the case of the latter, it can deliver up to 22kW of power – which would add roughly 120km range per hour to a typical EV.
The EVOS charger can be bought from the company, but soon will also be purchasable through petrol company and investor Ampol – which is pivoting to cash in on the EV boom.
Strata companies will be able to purchase the charger for properties through a company in that industry called LPE. Fittingly, said electric services company, situated in Maroochydore, is home to the first installed EVOS charger.
EVOS says a key USP is its patented ‘Energy Management Software’, which chooses the ideal idle time for the charger to charge the EV – overnight in non-peak periods or during business hours, for example. It can also control charge rate, speed and power.
The company says the wallbox unit has been designed to be “easily installable and uninstalled, ensuring TCO is reduced as homeowners and fleet operators can easily uninstall and shift the charger to a new property or location should their parking situation change”.
The launch of the EVOS Fleet home 22 AC Charger comes at a time when Australia is ramping up its transition to EVs. The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Motor Vehicle Census found there were more than 23,000 electric vehicle registrations, an increase of 62.3 per cent on the previous year.
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The recent, dramatic increase in petrol prices has put EVs firmly in the sights of consumers looking to purchase their next car, adds EVOS CEO and co-founder, Marcelo Salgado.
“One of the key benefits to owning an electric vehicle is reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and recharging at home, or at work,” he said.
“To make the most of this convenience, people need to be able to charge at home at greater speed than that available from a standard home plug, and also manage when they recharge so that they keep their electricity bills as low as possible. Our charger and its software address those issues.”
The company says it has already received “significant interest from prospective buyers across the country” following the unveiling of the charger in November last year. To meet demand, EVOS plans to hire 26 people in the next 12 months, with six roles currently open.
“We’re proudly Australian owned, with an Australian-designed charger that is manufactured in Brisbane,” added Salgado. “We want people to get involved and be part of something innovative and exciting, in a sector set to skyrocket in the years to come.”
EVOS designs and manufactures EV charging products in Brisbane, Australia, and has partnered with a tier 1 parts maker with over 30 years’ experience to produce the hardware.
The company was founded by three former senior staff at Brisbane-based tech ‘unicorn’ Tritium, which produces DC fast-chargers for the globe and lives on the NASDAQ.
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MORE: Brisbane startup EVOS reveals fleet-focused AC EV charger
