A Finnish charger manufacturer states that having more plugs results in greater power.

      A white paper released by the Finnish charger manufacturer Kempower contends that increasing the number of connectors boosts site utilization significantly more than simply increasing power capacity, with sites having eight plugs reaching nearly 10% utilization compared to just 2% for those with two plugs. Every AFIR target is articulated in kilowatts or kilometers rather than in connector counts.

      Kempower's report indicates that charging networks become more profitable by adding connectors rather than increasing power output. The data presented stem from their own analytics platform and North American locations, as reported by InsideEVs.

      The assertion is that the number of connectors at a location has a stronger correlation with utilization than the overall installed power. "Installed power hardly makes a difference," the company noted.

      The actual figures show modest changes in both directions, with utilization climbing from about 3% at sites with 100kW to just over 5% at those with 400kW. Adding more connectors enhances utilization significantly. Increasing from two plugs to eight raises utilization from approximately 2% to nearly 10%, with eight-plug sites generating an average of 128,342 kWh compared to 61,453 kWh at four-plug sites.

      Kempower suggests that the optimal output is around 100kW. Although a car might advertise a peak of 300kW, it often averages between 100kW and 150kW during a charging session that spans from 10% to 80%, meaning the peak figure is seldom the most relevant.

      It should be noted that Kempower produces distributed-power chargers with dynamic power management, so a conclusion that emphasizes connector count over peak power aligns with its own design philosophy.

      While this does not invalidate the data, it does present a vendor’s perspective, and TNW has discussed the complexities of the charging scenario in Europe.

      In Europe, the legal framework complicates matters. AFIR mandates that member states supply a minimum of 1.3kW of public charging capacity for each registered battery-electric vehicle and 0.8kW for every plug-in hybrid. Along the trans-European transport core network, a fast-charging station is required every 60km in both directions, with individual charging points needing to provide at least 150kW for cars and vans, while heavy vehicles require 350kW.

      Kempower’s compliance guide documents these requirements in kilowatts and kilometers, as specified by the regulations. None of the targets are defined by the number of connectors. Consequently, an operator can fulfill the fleet ratio with fewer but larger chargers, which contradicts the assertion from this white paper that such configurations remain underutilized.

      Additionally, Europe faces a distribution challenge, with 70% of charging stations located in three countries. If Kempower’s analysis is accurate, it suggests that the regulatory framework is emphasizing the least effective input for utilization.