Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s (MMC) North American subsidiary, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) announced that Mitsubishi Electric and Electronics USA, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric) and MMNA recently debuted a solar-powered charging station for electric vehicles at the MMNA headquarters in Cypress, California.
The charging station is powered by 96, 175W photovoltaic modules from Mitsubishi Electric. This charging station will help support CHAdeMO compatible electric vehicles such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
Able to charge up to four vehicles at once, the station features three types of chargers with different voltages: standard level 1 voltage (110v) will deliver a 100 per cent charge in 22 hours on the new Mitsubishi i; level 2 (220v) which can charge the vehicle in six hours; and level 3 CHAdeMO Quick Charger, which can charge to 80 percent battery capacity in 25 minutes.
“This project will build awareness of solar power’s versatility and efficiency,” said Katsuya Takamiya, president and chief executive officer, Mitsubishi Electric and Electronics USA.
“As electric vehicles’ popularity grows, we expect to see more charging stations at large employers, automobile dealerships, shopping centres and schools, where cars can charge while people work, shop or study.”
Mitsubishi Motors North America President Yoichi Yokozawa said: “We hope that our dealers, learning institutions, and municipalities will look to this technology with a keen eye towards the future, and bear in mind that the gradual acceptance of the pure-EV transportation will be aided by increasing the number of facilities like this one.”
Mitsubishi Electric’s solar panels are made with 100 per cent lead-free solder, and have one of the higher sunlight-to-energy conversion ratios in the industry, adding to the project’s efficiency and sustainability.