- Holding opening ceremony in Cheongju SA on June 30
- Building an EV charging station equipped with 200kW+ ultra-fast chargers··· to be in operation for 10 years
- Expected to add 60 charging stations to business facilities of the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) in the 2nd half-year

SK electlink is opening ultra-fast EV charging stations in 62 expressway stops around the country to provide customers with a quick and pleasant EV trip experience.

SK electlink (CEO: Cho Hyung-ki), Korea’s biggest private fast EV charging service provider, announced on July 2 that the Company held an ultra-fast EV charging station opening ceremony in Cheongju Service Area on June 30. The opening ceremony was honored by the presence of CEO Cho Hyung-ki of SK electlink,

CEO Ho Jeong Lee of SK networks, CEO Jung ho Shin of SK signet and distinguished guests representing relevant authorities including the KEC, the Ministry of Environment, the Korea Environment Corporation (KECO), the Korea Electric Vehicle User Association (KEVUA), among other dignitaries.

SK electlink was awarded the Expressway Stop Private EV Charging Station project tendered by the KEC in last October over other prominent competitors. SK electlink is now contracted to roll out 200 ultra-fast EV chargers in a total of 62 expressway service areas and provide EV charging services for 10 years going forward. 42 charging stations will be completed and commercially available by early July, with the remaining 20 stations to be commissioned in sequence by August as they are tied to the wrap up schedule of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). Upon completion of the project, ultra-fast EV chargers operated by SK electlink will reach over 2,700 in total.

Chargers installed in SK electlink’s ultra-fast charging stations are the dispenser-type ultra-fast chargers showcased in the EV Trend Korea 2023 in March, consisting of 53 350kW chargers and 147 200kW chargers. A 350kW model can charge an Ioniq 6 from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes.

The strength of SK electlink’s ultra-fast charging stations lies not only in their fast charging capabilities but also other solutions that make EV charging a breeze. The auto charging service allows customers to authenticate their identity only by plugging charging connectors into their EVs without clicking buttons on the charger screen or using a membership card. Sensitive data collected via the communication between a vehicle and a charger is encrypted for user authentication to prevent possible damage to customers arising out of theft of card information or password. The hassle-free authentication process is also welcomed by customers. Furthermore, the charging booking service allows customers to charge without waiting and the charging interruption prevention system prevents unauthorized occupation of the charging area. Key to the charging interruption prevention system is the AI deep-learning technology that detects vehicle numbers with a camera and identifies vehicles parked illegally or for a long time without authorization. Penalties are imposed to vehicles that do not leave the charging area after charging is completed to reduce EV charging congestion, ensuring a pleasant charging experience and preventing disputes between customers that can possibly aggravate into social issues.

 On top of that, a control system dedicated to the expressway charging stations is implemented to address charger failures remotely, and service engineers are dispatched in not more than two hours from SK network service’s nationwide service network. Charging stations are also monitored by thermal cameras to prevent fire and assure the safety of their customers in the charging environment.

SK electlink aims to leverage these service strengths to improve the satisfaction level of express charging station users and accelerate the roll-out of EV charging infrastructure in Korea as well.

“When designing the ultra-fast charging stations, we focused on addressing the insufficient number of charging stations and lengthy waiting time that frustrated EV users most,” CEO Cho Hyung-ki of SK electlink said. “We will work hard to provide users with convenience and safety in their EV charging experience.”

Meanwhile, SK electlink was selected as the private operator of charging stations for the business facilities of the KEC in April. An additional 60 charging stations will be deployed in the business facilities of the KEC in the second half of this year to support EV charging by expressway users.

CEO Cho Hyung-ki of SK electlink (2nd from the right), CEO Ho Jeong Lee (1st from the right) and representatives of the KEC, the KECO, and the KEVUA pose for a commemorative photo at SK electlink’s expressway stop ultra-fast EV charging station opening ceremony held in Cheongju Service Area