LG Electronics has entered the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) charger market with the opening of an assembly production factory in Fort Worth, Texas.
The EV charger production factory is designed to support the transition in the U.S. to electrification and create new jobs in the state. The move comes after LG introduced late last year its first line of AC and DC charging stations. These chargers can be included into existing infrastructures like:
- Retail shops
- Restaurants
- Municipalities
- Transit hubs
- Hotels
The factory will have an annual capacity of more than 10,000 units and will occupy about 60,000 sq ft of the 100,000-sq-ft building. The additional space will leave room for expansion as the business grows, LG said.
The initial product line being assembled includes Level 2 AC chargers with load management solution and variable current settings for 11 kW of output. The chargers are designed for wall mounting with an optional stand to place the device anywhere.
Beginning in the second quarter, the plant will assemble the first Level 3 DC charger with a stand-type model featuring a connected power bank and provides fast charging up to 175 kW through CCS1 and NACS connectors. This model will have a large outdoor LCD touch-screen display that can serve multiple functions for various use cases.
Why it matters
The electrification transition is happening quickly with more automotive OEMs committing to changing their fleets to EVs over the next decade. But to get there, the infrastructure for EV charging must be in place to meet the anticipated demand.
Without enough chargers or charging infrastructure, consumers will likely not be willing to adopt the vehicles for fear of range anxiety and fear of being unable to do their normal chores and duties.
The good news is there are a multitude of companies looking to develop EV charging and EV infrastructure including oil companies, automotive OEMs and third-party EV charging vendors. Governments are also enabling this push for infrastructure by setting aside funding for the technology.
