The Norwegian wallbox producer Easee is relaunching with contemporary merchandise. The 11 kW wallbox “Cost Lite” is now out there for order in a number of European nations. This wallbox contains some adjustments to the well-known Easee merchandise – and an announcement on the controversial FI resolution.
After a gross sales ban in Sweden for the earlier wallbox fashions “House” and “Cost”, restrictions in different nations and ensuing financial issues, Easee has now launched a brand new wallbox referred to as “Cost Lite” with as much as 11 kW energy (as much as 7.4 kW single-phase), which could be ordered now in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium and Austria.
In response to the charging merchandise supplier, the Cost Lite is backward suitable with current Easee merchandise – which means that it matches into the previous again plates and might use equipment for the Easee Equalizer (for dynamic load and section balancing). The brand new wallbox additionally helps the Open Cost Level Protocol (OCPP), which not depends on Easee’s cloud resolution. Afterward, current Easee wallboxes can even be retrofitted with OCPP through replace. Cost Lite additionally helps Bluetooth, which makes it potential to manage the wallbox immediately from a mobile phone with out an Web connection.
The principle motive for the brand new product is the issues with the “House” and “Cost” fashions have been as a result of Easee’s personal resolution with the built-in RCD: As an alternative of counting on a normal RCD in a DIN socket, the Norwegian firm had developed an built-in resolution. On paper, this idea is simply as secure as a standard RCD and even presents some benefits since, for instance, the system routinely performs a take a look at earlier than every charging course of or at the least each 24 hours. Nevertheless, authorities concluded that there was a danger that “the bottom fault circuit interrupter doesn’t at all times journey when and because it ought to.” There was “no resolution with earth leakage circuit breaker and DC safety that meets the necessities of the requirements for which the machine is asserted,” in keeping with Elsälerhetverket, the Swedish electrical security authority.
“So as to have the ability to supply an accredited and marketable product as quickly as potential, Easee has determined to launch Cost Lite with the requirement of a kind A exterior floor fault circuit interrupter,” the corporate now writes within the “Cost Lite” announcement. On the a part of Easee buyer help, it says: “The DC residual present detection remains to be out there, and a kind A RCD in entrance of every charging robotic is adequate.”
The {hardware} is similar, however the earlier merchandise didn’t require an exterior RCD; now, a RCD sort A change have to be put in individually by the electrician when the wallbox is put in, which incurs extra, albeit manageable, prices.
In parallel, a testing program is underway with TÜV Rheinland, the place Easee is working to acquire the required approvals to launch its subsequent merchandise with out this requirement. The following Easee product shall be referred to as “Cost Core,” which shall be able to as much as 22 kW and is anticipated to be supplied beginning within the fourth quarter of 2023 – the “Cost Core” can also be stated to not require an exterior Kind A change. The “Cost Max” must also be Easee’s first MID-certified charging field from the primary quarter of 2024 onwards.
“Our aim with Cost Lite was to create an economical and forward-looking charging field with all of the important options for households with one to 2 electrical automobiles,” says Easee product supervisor Caroline Vorpenes. “We have now knowledge exhibiting that only a few electrical automobile house owners cost at dwelling with greater than 11 kW.”
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