Polar is rolling out its ultra-rapid EV charge points, with four new 150 kW units going live at the BP Hammersmith site in London.
The double header devices – CCS and CHAdeMO – are currently on free vend for an introductory time, and will likely prove popular with EV drivers in the area.
The first two ultra-rapid points on the Polar network – installed at BP Cranford petrol station in nearby Hounslow – are some of the most often used points in the area for the network.
BP Chargemaster plans to install 400 of the charge points at sites across the UK in due course, representing a significant boost to the fledgling ultra-rapid infrastructure.
Currently only the Audi e-tron and certain Teslas – predominantly the Model 3 – are able to charge at up to 150 kW, though additional models are on their way with ultra-rapid charging capabilities.
Tesla is also rolling-out upgrades to increase the charging potential for its models, while the Porsche Taycan is due to arrive next year with higher charging capacity still. The likes of the Mercedes EQC (110 kW), Jaguar I-Pace, and a host of mass-market models are – or will be – able to charge at 100 kW. These will be able to charge at their maximum potential, rather than be restricted effectively to half speed by conventional rapid chargers.
The new points can be found on Zap-Map easily by using the network and/or connector filters at the link below. There’s also a 50 kW rapid charger available to use at the same location.
