Wallbox announces Supernova, a next generation fast public charger that offers greater efficiency and higher performance at half the cost
- Supernova offers up to 65 kW of power, recharging 100km of autonomy in under 15 min.
- Supernova delivers improved performance at half the typical cost due to its innovative technology and modular design.
Barcelona, October 8th, 2020, Wallbox, the leading energy management company that manufactures smart charging solutions for electric vehicles (EV), is disrupting the public charging industry with Supernova, its first fast public charger with 65kW power at half the total investment of similar chargers.
Supernova is the first public charger developed by Wallbox and introduces unprecedented levels of efficiency and operational stability into this market segment. Supernova offers an optimized internal design to make it light and easy to install by integrating multiple elements of Wallbox’s award-winning bidirectional charger Quasar. The product doesn’t compromise on aesthetics, with a modern, ergonomic layout that is synonymous with the Wallbox brand and its signature hallmarks of innovation and design.
Wallbox’s entry in the public charging segment complements its existing products and services offering for residential and semi-public charging that are currently available in over 40 countries globally.
The sector, currently valued at 11.7 billion, will grow exponentially in the next few years, driven by extensive investment globally to expand public charging networks. Europe is installing 1 million public charge points by 2025 and France alone is committing to 100,000 chargers next year. Germany is aiming for 1 million chargers this decade.
The Chinese government has announced in March a stimulus package that allocates $1.4B to EV charging and aims to install 600,000 new chargers, 50% increase to the country’s current structure.
In the US, some states such as New York and California have announced plans to expand the charging network, committing millions in funds to that end.
Wallbox expects sales in this market segment will represent up to 30% of revenue in 2021 and will lead to the creation of 200 new direct jobs by 2025.
The company has developed Supernova with the goal of overcoming the following challenges of public charging in cities:
Efficiency: Supernova has nine systems that work in harmony to provide maximum power, yet maintain operational independence. This modular assembly offers unprecedented flexibility and reliability to ensure the charger continues to operate optimally regardless of the circumstances.
Product, installation and maintenance costs: Supernova reduces the costs associated with equivalent public charging solutions by approximately 50%. The optimized charger design ensures a more efficient product with lower production cost and its modular composition offers installation and maintenance advantages by requiring simpler infrastructure and resources, like eliminating the need for heavy machinery to transport the product.
Supernova will accelerate the virtuous cycle of creating better public charging infrastructure to inspire the adoption of EV
“Ultimately, for EVs to completely replace internal combustion vehicles, we must eliminate any inconvenience associated with charging and offer its users a perfect experience, be it at home or while taking a road trip. An extensive and efficient network of public chargers is essential for this. With a less expensive and more reliable charger like the Supernova, we can accelerate the virtuous cycle of creating this infrastructure which, in turn, will drive the adoption of EV,” said Enric Asunción, co-founder and CEO of Wallbox.
Iberdrola, which recently announced plans to invest €150 million in sustainable mobility to intensify the deployment of charge points, has identified a clear need for supporting electromobility through the coordinated and efficient action between its main stakeholders.
“In our strategy to transition towards a carbon-free economy, we continue to bet on electric transportation as a key lever to reduce emissions and pollution, as well as for a green recovery of the economy in the post-COVID world,” said Raquel Blanco, Global Director of Smart Mobility at Iberdrola, said.
Iberdrola has already signed over 40 agreements for deploying charging infrastructure.
“Through Perseo, the company invests in innovative startups with high technological potential, such as Wallbox, to drive the development of key technology for transportation electrification,” added Blanco.
Iberdrola expects around 150,000 charger points to be installed in homes and businesses, as well as urban roads and main highways across Spain in the next five years. The company plans to deploy a high efficiency charging network by installing ultra-fast stations with 350 kW of power for every 200 kilometers, super-fast with 150 kW for every 100 kilometers and fast charging stations with 50 kW or more of power for every 50 kilometers.
100km of autonomy in less than 15 minutes
“Supernova is our answer to the growing needs of EV users and the cities they live in. We have applied the same development concepts and fundamentals that we used to make Quasar, the world's lightest, smallest and most efficient bidirectional charger. The result is a charger that is exponentially more stable and efficient, easier to install and maintain,” said Eduard Castañeda, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Wallbox.
“With a product like Supernova, it’s possible to exponentially grow the number of charging points in urban areas to match the routines of EV drivers, like commuting, shopping or leisure activities. With 65 kW of power, users will be able to charge 100km (62 miles) of autonomy in their vehicle in less than 15 minutes,” Castañeda added.
Wallbox’s strategic move follows its acquisition of Electromaps, the leading platform for accessing the largest network of public charging points for EV. As many as 95% of Spain’s EV users depend on Electromaps to locate and share information about public charging points and the company plans to roll out the platform in new markets in the coming months.
The EV driver at the center of everything
“New technologies often disrupt our routines. This change is only accelerated by providing sufficient incentives to overcome the barriers to adopt better solutions. Most consumers agree that electric mobility is beneficial because of the lower environmental impact and improved driving experience,” said Bárbara Calixto, CMO of Wallbox.
“However, concerns about charging infrastructure have been one of the main deterrents when considering an EV. Fortunately, countries with mature charging networks, such as Norway and Sweden, provide a promising outlook of the future - the development of charging infrastructure and adoption of EV in parallel. As the former becomes larger, it accelerates the later. In turn, more EV will make public charging more attractive and economically viable,” Calixto added."
Next steps
Wallbox is developing even more powerful chargers, which are being designed to adapt to different charge speeds and travel ranges, such as a 150 kW charger for intercity day trips and a 250 kW product for longer distances.
The Supernova will be manufactured in Spain and will require a €5 million investment over the next two years. Production is expected to start in the second quarter of 2021 and distribution will first occur in Europe and then in the US and other countries.
About Wallbox
Wallbox is a global company, dedicated to changing the way the world uses energy in the electric vehicle industry. Wallbox creates smart charging systems that combine innovative technology with outstanding design and manage the communication between vehicle, grid, building and charger.
Wallbox offers a complete portfolio of charging and energy management solutions for residential and semi-public use in more than 60 countries, and soon will begin commercializing public charging solutions as well.
Founded in 2015, with headquarters in Barcelona, Wallbox’s mission is to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles today to make more sustainable use of energy tomorrow. The company employs over 500 people in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
About Iberdrola
Iberdrola is a global energy leader, the number-one producer of wind power, and one of the world’s biggest electricity utilities by market capitalisation. The Group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries including Spain, the United Kingdom (ScottishPower), the United States (AVANGRID), Brazil (Neoenergia), Australia (Infigen) Mexico, Germany, Portugal, Italy and France. With a workforce of more than 35,000 and assets in excess of €122 billion, it achieved a turnover of over €36.4 billion and a net profit of over €3.4 billion in 2019. Iberdrola is leading the transition towards a sustainable energy model through its investments in renewable energy, smart grids, large-scale energy storage and digital transformation, to offer the most advanced products and services to its customers. Thanks to its commitment to clean energy, Iberdrola is one of the companies with the lowest emissions and an international benchmark for its contribution to sustainability and the fight against climate change.