ChargePoint announced a pantograph option for the ChargePoint Express Plus charging system, the company’s 500 kW DC charging solution designed to provide a future-proof upgrade to any catenary-fitted depot. The Pantograph offering comes to market as the latest variant of the ChargePoint Express Plus architecture, ChargePoint said.
The company said its new pantograph option supports the charging requirements of electric buses by enabling operators to charge their vehicles on their routes, and even in space-constrained depots that serve a fleet of buses at one time. The pantograph, which functions like a charging arm, mounts to the top of a bus to transfer power quickly and efficiently and is available in either scissor or telescoping formats with 100 pounds of spring force to ensure charging is maintained – even while loading or unloading. ChargePoint said its Express Plus system provides up to 500 kW of scalable power, with software-driven capabilities, including the setting of power allocation, management and service planning. The development of a pantograph solution is funded in part by a grant from the California Energy Commission.
ChargePoint said it provides electric fleet charging solutions for dozens of transit agencies across North America and Europe, including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). ChargePoint’s fleet charging portfolio includes AC Level 2 and DC Level 3 fast-charging stations, from 12 kW, all the way up to the 500 kW charging speeds now offered by the pantograph dispenser.
