KEVCS and SK Signet replace as Daeyoung Chaevi contract expires
Initiating the integration of advanced technologies, such as wireless charging, with Hi-charger
The largest ultra-fast charging facility in South Korea as well as Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicle charging station brand, ‘E-pit’s’ service operator and charger supplier will change after three years. E-pit will not only add new technological advancement such as installing wireless charging, but also various services available for Hyundai Motor Company, Kia and Genesis EVs will be available for other finished vehicles.
According to the industry on the 6th, As E-pit contract expires, Hyundai Motor Group is replacing the E-pit operator and charger supplier from Daeyoung Chaevi to Korea Electric Vehicle Charging Service (KEVCS) and SK Signet. Unlike other companies, E-pit is South Korea’s largest private facility built solely with Hyundai Motor Group’s capital. It is equipped with super-fast charging facility with 350kW.
Hyundai Motor Company completely halt the service from the 1st to the 10th in order to replace the operating server and other systems.
KEVCS is a leading domestic charging company acquired by Hyundai Motor Company in last, and operates the largest number of fast chargers nationwide among private companies. Acquired by SK in last May, SK Signet is the largest exporter of fast and super-fast chargers among domestic companies, and continues to expand its business area.
The new services will resume from the 11th sequentially. However, it would be difficult to receive supply for charger at this moment, because each manufacturers require a considerable amount of time to secure system compatibility technologies such as charging protocols.
Hyundai Motor Group is planning on unifying two current operators, ‘E-pit’ and ‘Hi-Charger’, in order to advance its service. It is expanding the billing system, which only allows to pay with Hyundai Card and Blue Members points, and increasing the number of wireless charging facilities that are currently in pilot experiment.
An official from Hyundai Motor Group said, "We will change the charging service operator and charger manufacturer to KEVCS and SK Signet as the contract expires with Daeyoung Chaevi. After a huge improvement work in the system, we will sequentially resume the services from the 11th by branch.”
After opening 12 stations in major highways nationwide in last April, E-pit is currently operating in 17 locations in the country, including Euljiro Center One Building in Seoul and downtown Busan.
There are six super-fast chargers in all 17 stations except for one. The super-fast charger takes about 20 minutes to charge an EV (based on a battery capacity of 72㎾h) from 10% to 80%.
By Staff Reporter Tae-jun Park (gaius@etnews.com)