Finnish Maker: More Plugs, More Power
▼ Summary
– A white paper by Kempower argues that increasing the number of charging connectors at a site boosts utilization significantly more than adding total power capacity.
– Data from Kempower’s analytics and North American sites shows that eight-plug sites achieve nearly 10% utilization compared to only 2% for two-plug sites.
– The company suggests that installed power has minimal impact on usage, noting that average charging speeds often fall well below peak advertised rates.
– However, European regulations like AFIR mandate infrastructure targets based on kilowatts and kilometers rather than connector counts, potentially incentivizing less efficient configurations.
– This regulatory mismatch creates a challenge for operators who must balance vendor-specific architectural advantages with legal compliance requirements.
The Plug Count Advantage
Adding more charging connectors yields significantly higher site utilization than simply increasing power output, according to a new white paper from Finnish manufacturer Kempower. The company’s analysis suggests that sites equipped with eight plugs achieve utilization rates nearing 10%, whereas those with only two plugs struggle to reach 2%. This finding challenges the prevailing focus on raw capacity, as every regulatory target under the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) is defined in terms of kilowatts or kilometers rather than connector quantity.
The data, drawn from Kempower’s internal analytics and North American locations, indicates a weak correlation between total installed power and actual usage. “Installed power barely moves the needle,” the company stated. While boosting capacity from 100kW to 400kW raises utilization from roughly 3% to just over 5%, expanding the number of ports has a far more dramatic effect. Moving from two to eight plugs increases utilization from approximately 2% to nearly 10%. Furthermore, eight-plug sites delivered an average of 128,342 kWh, compared to 61,453 kWh at four-plug locations.
Real-World Charging Dynamics
Kempower argues that an ideal output sits around 100kW. Although many vehicles advertise peak speeds of 300kW, the average charge rate during a typical 10% to 80% session rarely exceeds 150kW. Consequently, the headline speed figure is often irrelevant to daily operations. The manufacturer builds chargers with dynamic power management, allowing multiple units to share available electricity. This architecture supports the argument that having more connection points is superior to having fewer, high-power stations.
It is important to recognize this commercial interest. Kempower’s conclusion aligns perfectly with its own product design. However, the underlying challenge remains complex, particularly in Europe where infrastructure deployment faces unique hurdles. TNW has previously highlighted the difficulty of solving the European charging conundrum, noting that regulatory frameworks may be misaligned with practical user needs.
Regulatory Mismatches
The European legal landscape complicates matters further. AFIR mandates that member states provide at least 1.3kW of public charging capacity for every registered battery-electric vehicle and 0.8kW for plug-in hybrids. Along the trans-European transport core network, operators must establish fast-charging pools every 60km in each direction, featuring individual points of at least 150kW for cars and vans. Heavy-duty vehicles require 350kW capabilities.
Kempower’s compliance guide reflects these requirements, listing all targets in kilowatts and kilometers because that is how the regulation is structured. None of these metrics specify a minimum number of connectors. An operator can technically meet fleet ratio requirements using fewer, larger chargers. Yet, the white paper suggests this configuration results in equipment sitting idle. With 70% of existing stations concentrated in just three countries, Europe already faces a distribution imbalance. If Kempower’s findings hold true, current regulations are measuring inputs that convert poorly into actual usage.
(Source: The Next Web)
