ABB and Audi install car charging points at dealerships in New Zealand

ABB and Audi have completed a partnership to provide car charging points at Audi-authorised dealerships in New Zealand.

The companies will provide AC and DC charging solutions, which are expected to aid in the country’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2025.

Audi New Zealand and ABB introduced the first 175kW DC charger for the country at Audi’s Archibald dealership.

The Terra HP charger is said to provide 145km of extended driving range to the Audi e-tron SUV within ten minutes of charging.

ABB’s charging system provides high output current capability and can support 400VDC and 800VDC vehicles with a single power cabinet system. It can deliver 375A and 160kW constantly and 175kW at peak.

Giltrap Audi, Ebbett Audi and Farmer Audi will also be installed with the 175kw DC charger.

In addition, nine other Audi dealerships have received the ABB Terra 54 charger, which is a 50kW DC charger that provides 400km of charge in two hours.

In total, ABB is providing 16 charging systems to 11 Audi dealerships in the North Island and South Island.

Audi New Zealand general manager Dean Sheed said: “Audi is the first automotive brand in New Zealand to invest in this level of charging infrastructure throughout the country.

“It can be utilised immediately by our Audi e-tron customers, adding to the premium customer support we have in place for our owners.

“We expect other brands to follow our lead, thereby raising the charging capability for the country and keeping New Zealand at a world-class level.”

In 2018, the IONITY JV selected ABB as its main technology partner and supplier of Terra High Power (HP) electric vehicle (EV) chargers for its service station, which opened on the A2 motorway in Switzerland.

In a separate development, the NSW Government partnered with the National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA) to provide at least 20 more electric vehicle fast chargers along the major highways of the state.