Credit: ChargePoint

If charging speed is one of the major stumbling blocks preventing people from considering an electric vehicle, then ChargePoint’s new Express Solo DC fast charger is a step in the right direction. It has been designed to be compact and work with DC power, making it easy to install in tight spaces. Oh, and it maxes out at a hefty 600 kW.

As we saw with yesterday’s news from CATL, EV batteries are getting more and more capable by the day. Increasing power can reduce charge times, as long as the battery can take it—BYD’s new Blade battery can charge at up to 1.5 MW, and megawatt chargers are already common across China.

Once again, you can see how badly the US is lagging in EVs. Most Tesla Superchargers max out at 250 kW, Electrify America stops at 350 kW, and even the new IONNA stations top out at 400 kW per plug. So the Express Solo’s 600 kW—as powerful as a Formula E pit stop—sets a new benchmark, particularly for a standalone charger that could live in an urban gas station or convenience store parking lot.

The Express Solo can charge two EVs simultaneously, splitting up to 600 kW of power between them or sending all 600 kW to a single plug; ChargePort’s “Omni Port,” which has both CCS1 and NACS sockets for maximum compatibility. It takes direct DC inputs, such as from an energy storage battery on site, obviating the need for a costly inverter. And it’s modular and scales—it can be expanded to four plugs with support for eight coming soon, ChargePoint says.

“The Express DC fast charging architecture delivers differentiation,” said ChargePoint CEO Rick Wilmer. “Not just by higher output but by how economically, efficiently, and flexibly that power is delivered. ExpressSolo combines unmatched power density, direct DC inputs for energy storage integration, and a modular architecture that scales with minimal cost and complexity. Collectively, this redefines DC fast charging from a fixed asset into a future-ready energy platform. For those with plans for expansion, Express Solo enables scalable configurations for any charging scenario, futureproofing a station owner’s investment by giving drivers an ideal fast charging experience today while offering flexibility for the EVs of tomorrow. ”

The charging company has some other interesting stuff in the works for the Express Solo—its DC inputs mean it is capable of bidirectional power, so it could use an EV to top up the energy storage battery. The charger’s design and direct DC inputs make the Express Solo about 30 percent cheaper to buy and operate compared to existing high-power chargers, according to the company.