'20-Minute Charging, 300km Driving Range'... Government Expands Ultra-Fast Chargers for Electric Vehicles

Deputy Minister of Industry Attends Opening Ceremony of Ultra-Fast Electric Vehicle Charging Service 'E-pit'

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The government plans to establish more than 123 ultra-fast chargers this year that can enable driving over 300 km with a 20-minute charge.

Park Jinkyu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, attended the opening ceremony of the ultra-fast electric vehicle charging service 'E-pit' held at Hwaseong Rest Area on the 14th, stating, "To deploy eco-friendly vehicle charging facilities in a timely and appropriate manner, we will install ultra-fast chargers centered on mobility hubs such as highway rest areas." E-pit is Hyundai Motor Group's ultra-fast electric vehicle charging brand.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced in the '4th Basic Plan for Eco-friendly Vehicles' released last February that it will establish more than 123 ultra-fast chargers this year that enable driving over 300 km with a 20-minute charge.

Vice Minister Park said, "We will actively participate in discussions on establishing international standards related to ultra-fast chargers and expand the scope of domestic KC safety certification targets in line with the establishment of international standards to support the market launch of ultra-fast chargers. We will also steadily carry out research and development (R&D) on the localization of core components of ultra-fast chargers currently underway to improve the localization rate."

The Ministry expanded the scope of support projects for charger distribution by private charging operators starting this year. The 'Electric Vehicle Charging Service Industry Promotion Project,' which supports up to 50% of construction costs for private charging operators, has expanded its target from the existing 200 kW to 300 kW or more. Along with the expansion of ultra-fast charging infrastructure, it is expected that the distribution of private-led electric vehicle charging infrastructure will spread through support for various charging capacities.

The Ministry plans to accept applications for subsidies for ultra-fast chargers through a second announcement next month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.