Quebec-based charging equipment manufacturer FLO has made an announcement regarding its latest offering in the electric vehicle (EV) market. In a bid to streamline and standardize charging hardware in North America, FLO will be providing Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connector as an optional feature.
FLO’s decision to adopt the NACS charging connector comes as more EV manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors, Rivian, and Aptera, express their intention to transition from the Combined Charging System (CCS1) to NACS plugs for their future EV models.
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Nathan Yang, FLO’s Chief Product Officer, expressed the company’s support for the standardization of charging hardware, emphasizing its role in eliminating confusion for EV drivers. He believes that the widespread use of the NACS standard by EV drivers, coupled with the reliability of existing NACS-equipped charging stations, contributed to the decision. FLO, known for its industry-leading reliability with an uptime of over 98%, is committed to providing the best EV charging experience by supporting the technologies and standards preferred by drivers.
Notably, FLO revealed that its newly developed FLO Ultra DC fast charging station is already equipped to support NACS cables upon customer or site host request. This forward-thinking approach allows for flexibility and future readiness in terms of charging infrastructure. The FLO Ultra charger, showcased at the recent 36th Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS36) in California, boasts a power output of 320 kilowatts (kW) and features dual ports. This enables simultaneous charging of two vehicles at speeds of up to 160 kW each, or a single vehicle at a remarkable 320 kW. The charger is compatible with battery voltage levels ranging from 150 to 1,000 volts.
Moreover, FLO hinted that the power output of the FLO Ultra charger could potentially be increased to up to 500 kW by connecting multiple units together within a station. With two units combined, a total power output of 640 kW can be achieved. The only limiting factors in this scenario would be the charging standard (plug and cable) and the electric vehicle’s battery capacity.
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What sets the FLO Ultra apart is its compatibility with the pull-through parking configuration commonly found at traditional fuel stations. This feature is not yet prevalent at most EV fast charging stations but will become increasingly important as larger EVs or EVs with trailers become more commonplace. FLO recognizes the need to accommodate these vehicles when designing new charging stations, and the FLO Ultra’s design aligns well with this requirement.