Volkswagen has launched a new DC wallbox that will charge up to 22 kW. It’s currently in the pilot stage and located at five sites while the German carmaker gathers information to develop the wallbox ready for production. They are located at Volkswagen’s factory sites in Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, Hannover, Salzgitter and Kassel, with a total of 20 DC wallboxes.
With the new wallbox electric cars and vehicles can be charged with direct current (DC) up to 22 kW. This is about double the speed of a typical wallbox working with alternating current (AC). In charging technology based on direct current, the electricity flows directly into the battery, provided that the electric vehicle features a combined charging system (CCS) charging port.
Unlike systems based on alternating current, electric vehicles are charged independently of their integrated on-board chargers that limit charging capacity. Charging the battery with a direct current increases the potential charging capacity when compared with alternating current. The charging time can therefore be significantly shortened.
The new DC wallbox will come with bi-directional charging allowing the power to flow in two directions. The power stored in the vehicle battery can be returned to the grid, if necessary, thanks to intelligent charging management. In the future electric vehicles that feature this function might serve as a power storage unit for private homes or as a buffer for the power grid.
Mark Möller, head of the Technical Development and Electric Mobility division, said: “An extensive and needs-based charging structure is the key to the success of electric vehicles. That is why we are working on various approaches that enable customer-oriented, intelligent and flexible charging.
“Like our flexible quick charging station and the visionary prototype of a mobile charging robot, the DC wallbox is one of the future innovations of the DC charging family for electric vehicles.”
