Seoul builds more rapid EV chargers to meet growing demands

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 3, 2021, 10:36 Updated : June 3, 2021, 10:36

[Courtesy of Seoul City]

SEOUL -- In preparation for the wider introduction of electric vehicles, Seoul will acquire land to accommodate thousands of rapid chargers by the end of 2022. The move is to solve the lack of Seoul's charging infrastructure that has triggered complaints among many electric vehicle drivers.

Seoul has about 25,600 electric vehicles on the road as of April 2021 but there are only 8,400 chargers. Due to the lack of public charging stations, drivers often have to use verified home power plugs that take hours to charge. According to a survey of 1,586 adults, conducted by Seoul City in July 2020, 29 percent cited the lack of charging stations as the main factor in delaying the purchase of electric vehicles.

The capital city said in a statement on June 3 that it would acquire spaces to install some 5,000 rapid EV chargers. New chargers will be installed in areas with heavy traffic such as parks, public facilities, and megastores.

Consumers' interest in EVs is increasing every year. About 135,000 EVs were newly registered in 2020, up 50 percent from a year ago thanks to subsidies and incentives. EV drivers receive big discounts at paid roads and public parking lots. Private charging station operators have been subsidized. To provide easy access to charging infrastructure on expressways, the Hyundai auto group rolled out "E-pit," an electric vehicle charging service platform, in April 2021. Drivers can charge up to 80 percent of battery capacity in about 20 minutes.
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