A leader in the electric vehicle (EV) charging industry, AeroVironment has just announced the release of its TurboDX charging station. What’s so special about it? You could call it a one-stop shop for anyone, anywhere on the planet.
Released at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, the AeroVironment TurboDX is the company’s next-generation of EV charging station intended for commercial and residential customers around the world. Think of it as a single-solution for almost anyone on this planet.
AeroVironment is betting on a heavy hitter that should find a nice niche almost anywhere for a wide range of users. It’s a company’s dream solution that can accommodate a wide range of users’ needs.
Ken Karklin, vice president and general manager of AeroVironment’s Efficient Energy Systems business segment, was quoted as saying: “TurboDX is loaded with advanced, user-friendly features to ensure a hassle-free, smart-charging experience that meets the unique requirements and needs of commercial, workplace, utility and residential customers around the world. TurboDX can be easily configured to address the specific needs of employers, landlords, individual homeowners and property managers who need a flexible solution for maximizing the charging demands of their EV driving staff, tenants and patrons.”
Why A Flexible Charging Station That Works Anywhere?
Perhaps a better question is why have we waited this long to have flexible charging solutions that meets the needs of most EV drivers?
We’ve already seen the deplorable CHAdeMO versus CCS war in the fast-charging world. In the meantime, the Level 2 market seems content to offer chargers specifically designed to meet the needs of some drivers, but never meeting all needs. One smart move with the new Nissan LEAF is its portable Level 2 charger, which means you can drive the LEAF and charge it anywhere a 240V plug can be found.
The TurboDX has been certified by Underwriters Laboratory to North American UL Standards and the European variants are certified to IEC standards with the CE Mark. The Chinese version met the rigorous CQC certification and an OEM-branded version will begin shipping in China in January 2018.
TurboDX uses the company’s TurboCord charging system, which is an open networked solution system that gives customers flexibility in choosing from a variety of Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) compliant network providers. This means EV drivers can easily charge with most network providers without the added cost of switching or purchasing new hardware.
The AeroVironment Commercial TurboDX
The TurboDX comes in a dual, triple, and even quad configuration to simultaneously charge more than one EV at a time. Its modular design means it can be expanded over time depending on the needs of its users.
The TurboDX can be ordered in a 16- or 32-amp variant supporting 240V. There is also an option for 15-foot or 25-foot cord. They come with the same Bluetooth-enabled access control found on the TurboDocks. As to the price, the company announced that the 16-amp TurboDX should retail at around $469.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion On The Aerovironment TurboDX
One of the potentials of EVs is to free consumers of monopoly constraints, especially that of having to depend on a few energy providers. The freedom to create your own electricity is perhaps one of the greatest potentials EVs have to offer. But when traveling, the choice of energy can be restricted to which network provider is available. The Aerovironment TurboDX charger is an elegant solution that allows you to tap into various open standards networks and should work for anyone ranging from residential to commercial all over the world.
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