Porsche upgrades dealership charging stations

PORSCHE Cars Australia (PCA) has announced it is upgrading the charging infrastructure at its Porsche Centre dealerships in preparation for the arrival of the all-electric Taycan in February.

The upgraded charging infrastructure will include 350kW chargers, with PCA tapping charging infrastructure specialist Jet Charge to help install the chargers that will be used for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and full-electric vehicles.

PCA and Jet Charge have worked together before, with the latter performing home checks for owners who plan to purchase one of Porsche’s electrified offerings.

For Porsche Centres with 350kW DC charging stations, the Taycan will be able to charge from five per cent capacity to 80 per cent in as little as 22.5 minutes under optimal conditions. Porsche Centres that don’t get 350kW stations will instead be fitted with 175kW DC chargers.

All Porsche Centres will also come with AC chargers.

Other upgrades made to dealerships include new parking areas with access to the new chargers, and changes to service workshops in order to create a dedicated service space for Taycans and other future Porsche EVs.

A number of Porsche Centres will also generate electricity via rooftop solar installations and/or battery storage support.

Jet Charge CEO Tim Washington said the Porsche Centre chargers would be among the most powerful in the country.

“Some of the chargers we have installed in Porsche Centres in recent months are among the fastest charging stations available globally,” he said.

“Porsche Centres with these ultra-rapid DC chargers give us a glimpse into the future of dealerships.

“They are not only a place to buy, sell and maintain cars, but potentially recharge your electric vehicle in a fast and convenient way.”

PCA CEO Sam Curtis meanwhile said the preparation for the arrival of the Taycan was years in the making.

“It is exciting to see years of planning and preparation now come to fruition at Porsche Centres around Australia,” he said.

“When Porsche Centres take delivery of the new Taycan from February 2021, our people and facilities will be well prepared.”

With one month left in 2020, PCA has sold a combined 3850 vehicles, making for only a 1.2 per cent slip over the same point in 2019 against an overall market that has slipped 16.1 per cent year-to-date.