LG is already one of the most prolific EV battery makers in the U.S., but it also wants to make charging equipment. The company has just opened its first electric vehicle charger manufacturing plant in the United States, located in Fort Worth, Texas, covering an area of 59,000 square feet and capable of producing 10,000 electric vehicle chargers per year.
The company has started assembling 11kW home chargers there and will begin production of 175kW fast chargers in the first half of 2024.The company plans to produce a 350kW ultra-fast charger sometime this year, designed for "Business travel and long-distance transportation," LG wrote.
The South Korean company said it chose Texas because of existing facilities and the state’s offerings "Excellent logistics and transportation network, it is the main business location of automobile manufacturing, finance and other industrial companies" (General Motors, Toyota and Tesla all have vehicle assembly plants in the state).
LG said it is also working to strengthen its electric vehicle charger business in Asia and Europe. The company joined the game two years ago, acquiring South Korean electric vehicle battery charger company AppleMango (later renamed HiEV), along with two partners.
LG said at the time that the acquisition would allow it to "Create synergy" Its electric vehicle battery business and products such as energy storage and energy management systems.The company is also able to connect chargers to "Rugged, dustproof and waterproof" Outdoor digital display device.
The move also allows LG to take advantage of a U.S. push to build more public electric vehicle chargers. According to the Joint Office of Energy and Transport, the country currently has 169,741 charging ports (DC fast charging or Level 2 charging) covering 65,113 charging stations. However, the Biden administration hopes to have at least 500,000 public chargers by 2030. "By establishing an electric vehicle charger production plant in Texas, we will be able to actively respond to the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicle infrastructure in the United States. ” said Jand Ik-hwan, President of LG Business Solutions.
This article was originally published on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/lg-just-opened-its-first-ev-charger-manufacturing-plant-in-the-us-091542381.html?src=rss
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