Wallbox Chargers, a charging technology company from Spain, has presented its first ultra-rapid charging column for public use. Named Hypernova, the high-power charging device can deliver up to 350 kW and expands the manufacturer’s DC product portfolio.
The high power charger, which represents a step up in charging capacity on previous products from the Spanish company, has been on display at the IAA Mobility in Munich. Enric Asunción, CEO and co-founder of Wallbox, said he was “thrilled to unveil our fastest public charger to date, which can fully charge an electric vehicle in under 15 minutes.”
He also hoped that “Hypernova will be a game-changer in building fast public charging infrastructure,” and pointed to use on long-distance drives, much in line with the rest of the industry.
However, unlike similar high-power solutions – charging columns from Tritium or Alpitroniq, for example – Wallbox’s Hypernova consists of only one charging device per column. Nevertheless, the company still claimed it would charge faster than most competing products and emphasised “advanced software”.
Hypernova’s integrated cable management system, however, seems more genuinely novel. It stores the liquid-cooled cables inside the dispenser unit, rather than hanging them on top. Wallbox adds that it offers several authentication and payment options, including RFID, screen QR Code and credit card reader with worldwide acceptance.
As well as charging speed and ease of use for drivers of electric vehicles, the company noted that it designed the Hypernova with the future and longevity in mind.
“Our focus in building this suite of public charging solutions has been to help charge point operators increase their revenue while reducing maintenance costs and providing future-proof solutions,” said Eduard Castañeda, CPO and co-founder of Wallbox.
The company first presented the Supernova – its first rapid charging device for public charging in cities, with a charging speed of up to 65 kW – in October 2020. Supernova is set to enter series production this year, while the Hypernova will enter the market in late 2022, according to Wallbox. Once in production, the on-sale will follow suit immediately. Wallbox Chargers has yet to publish pricing for the Hypernova.
So far, the company claims to have installed charging solutions for residential, semi-public and public use in more than 80 countries. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Barcelona, Wallbox says it employs over 700 people in offices in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
