Porsche installs first 350 kW ultra-rapids in Berlin

Porsche installs first 350 kW ultra-rapids in Berlin

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In preparation for the launch of the Mission E in 2019, Porsche have developed an ultra-rapid charger rated at 350 kW (800 V), the highest power rating permitted by the CCS (Type 2 Combo) connector.

Two of the new ultra-rapid units have been installed at one of the company’s centres at Berlin-Adlershof which is in the south of the German capital, with two more conventional 50-150 kW rapid chargers which can be used by current Porsche and Volkswagen models.

Porsche Germany’s CEO Jens Puttfarcken’s vision is clear: “Once the E hits the market in 2019, buyers shall have peace of mind to travel around Germany in the first series electric car with 800-volt technology.”

The new charging units deal with the high temperatures generated by large DC currents by liquid cooling the charging cables and device using a glycol/water mixture. The same solution can also be used to provide heating should the devices be located in sub-zero temperatures.

The 350 kW chargers will go online in the autumn and will be available during the store’s opening hours. “This facility marks the start of serial production of electric mobility at Porsche,” says Michael Kiefer, who heads the High-Voltage Systems at Porsche. He also reports that a second public facility is being installed at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Atlanta.

With such high power units now being planned, connecting to the grid will require the availability of a high power supply, often a problem at key locations. The Berlin station, for example, is supplied by its own substation, unlike current rapid locations which usually share a sub-stations across 2-3 devices. “This ensures that each charging point always delivers the full power of up to 350 kW,” explains Kiefer.

Kiefer continues: “There won’t be any power-sharing like at Tesla Superchargers” stating that should high power not be available at a particular site, stationery storage will be used to guarantee the full 350 kW. As with its quality cars, Porsche is certainly aiming high in its vision to provide ultra-rapids for its customers as standard.