Chargemaster Ultracharger leads the way for next generation of electric vehicle infrastructure
- The only rapid charger manufactured in Britain
- Lighter and smaller than ever before with improved user interface
- Ultracharger to be exported globally
- To be unveiled at LCV2015 on September 9th by Anna Soubry, Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise
Chargemaster has revealed its new Ultracharger, a rapid charger for electric vehicles, which modernises electric vehicle charging through a number of innovations.
Unveiled at leading low-carbon show LCV2015 today by Anna Soubry, Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise, the Ultracharger promises to revolutionise electric vehicle charging.
Manufactured at the company’s plant in Luton, Bedfordshire, the Ultracharger is the only rapid charger to be designed and built in the UK. Chargemaster expects to build 1000 units in its first full year and will be exporting the Ultracharger globally, with an initial focus on Europe.
Measuring 120cm(H) x 60cm(W) x60cm(D), the Ultracharger is considerably smaller and lighter than previous rapid chargers on the market, meaning it does not need planning permission to be installed in many instances.
Making life easy for EV owners
Electric vehicle owners will not only be able to access the Ultracharger via an RFID membership card, but also a contactless debit or credit card. It can also be controlled using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), meaning that on recognising a vehicle’s number plate, it will authorise the user and automatically start charging.
With an improved user interface, which has a large 12-inch touchscreen with graphical display, users will be greeted personally on screen when presenting their card to the Ultracharger. Owners will also receive a text message to inform them when charge has reached a pre-set level.
The Ultracharger offers three cables making it compatible with all EVs on the market that charge up to 50kW units. The design-focused unit is not only aesthetically improved on previous rapid chargers but also has cable retraction, removing untidy cables from view when not in use.
Chargemaster CEO David Martell commented: “We’ve always been at the forefront of electric vehicle charging, and we’re proud to unveil the Ultracharger, which takes the industry a massive step forward in terms of modernisation.
“We are proud to be able to manufacture these in the UK, supporting the local economy, while offering high-quality good-value rapid chargers to the electric vehicle market.”
He added: “With a host of innovations, such as automatic number plate recognition and contactless payments, the Ultracharger will make life even easier for EV owners.”
Business Minister Anna Soubry said: “Research and development is vital to the long-term productivity and growth of our successful automotive industry, and will help companies secure a big share of growing international markets like low carbon and electric vehicles. Ultracharger is a good example of this and I am delighted to unveil it at LCV 2015.”
Media contacts
Rachel Burgess: rburgess@torqueagencygroup.com or 020 7952 1070
About Chargemaster
Chargemaster Plc is the UK’s leading provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Benefitting from over 25 years of experience working within the telematics and vehicle-orientated industry, Chargemaster provides a comprehensive, flexible and practical range of electric vehicle charging solutions. Its charging stations are specially developed to accommodate new technological advances and the growing demands of the electric vehicle industry. Chargemaster works in partnership with leading energy providers, vehicle manufacturers, government agencies, management consultancies and property development and blue chip companies. Chargemaster is the largest UK supplier of public and workplace charging units in the UK and has supplied over 10,000 charge points across Europe. The company operates its own manufacturing facility at Luton Airport which is currently producing over 2,000 charging units a month and operates to ISO9001 quality standards.
