What's the news?
Imagine a world where certain cars couldn't use some petrol stations; it would cause considerable anxiety about finding the right sort of pump when you need fuel. The convenience of a universal means of 'refuelling' is not currently available for drivers of electric vehicles. Volvo believes that the automotive industry should establish a globally standardised EV charging infrastructure. The Swedes are backing the Charging Interface Initiative, a consortium of stakeholders founded to establish their Combined Charging System (CCS) as the way to charge battery powered vehicles.
CCS offers both regular and fast charging options with single and three-phase alternating current at a maximum of 43 kilowatts, as well as direct current charging up to 200kW with a future possibility of up to 350kw. The Charging Interface Initiative is currently drawing up requirements for the evolution of charging-related standards and certification for use by car makers around the globe.
Volvo confirmed its commitment to electric vehicles by announcing that there would be a plug-in hybrid version of every new model. A fully electric model, based on the company's modular SPA architecture, is slated for introduction in 2019.
Anything else?
Dr Peter Mertens, the company's Senior Vice President for Research & Development commented; "We see that a shift towards fully electric cars is already underway, as battery technology improves, costs fall and charging infrastructure is put in place," said Dr Mertens. "But while we are ready from a technology perspective, the charging infrastructure is not quite there yet. To really make range anxiety a thing of the past, a globally standardised charging system is sorely needed."