Masdar City installs first rapid charger in area

Masdar City has installed the Middle East’s first rapid charging station as part of its ongoing efforts to promote sustainable transportation. The pilot project, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, aims to assess how efficiently the technology will function in the region’s harsh climatic conditions. The CHAdeMO-certified Rapid Charger (Efacec, EV QC) is a high efficiency DC charger provided by Efacec, a leading manufacturer of AC and DC chargers. It will serve as a charging station for the 12 Mitsubishi Motors Electric Vehicles “i-MiEV” (EVs) currently in operation at Masdar City. Previously, the EVs had to be charged for six hours continuously using standard electrical outlets. With the arrival of the new rapid charger, the EV’s batteries can now be charged up to 80 per cent in approximately 30 minutes. Nasser Al Marzouqi, Head of Facilities Management, Masdar City, said: “With a reduced charging time, a greater number of EVs will be in operation throughout the day. “This project embodies Masdar City’s commitment to promoting electric vehicles. As an open technology platform, Masdar City will continue to work with various clean technology providers to provide sustainable transportation systems.” Pedro Silva, Electric Mobility Director, Efacec, said: “We are pleased to be part of such an innovative project as Masdar City. “We are committed to securing mass acceptance for electric mobility as it will be the next step towards sustainable mobility on a large scale. Our chargers were designed for best efficiency and high quality standards as part of that effort.” To date, the vehicles have transported more than 35,000 passengers and saved approximately 33,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.