Repsol, the Spanish oil and gas company, is in a process of expanding its operation to EV charging infrastructure in Spain.

After the launch of its first ultra-fast charging station in April (700 kW of power shared between four charging stalls, up to 350 kW per single stall), in October Repsol raised the power output bar.

The recently launched second ultra-fast charging station (at Ugaldebieta, one of the busiest service stations in the country) is reportedly the most powerful in Europe (at least among public chargers for passenger cars).

It can deliver up to 400 kW of power using CCS Combo 2 connector (there is a total of four such stalls).! That is more than any series-produced car can handle today.

"The facility, located on the A-8 motorway at Abanto-Zierbena (Biscay), has four 400-kW terminals that enable charging of the batteries of vehicles that can support its maximum power in between five and ten minutes, a time that is comparable to that required for conventional refueling. This charging station is at the cutting edge of electric vehicle technology, as it can supply more power than the maximum of 350 kW available until now at charging points for cars and vans in Europe. Additionally, these units guarantee optimal distribution of the available power at the facility between the four vehicles that can be connected simultaneously. This is the second ultra-fast charging station on the Iberian Peninsula. The first began operation on 1 April on the A-1 national highway where at Lopidana (Alava), also at a Repsol service station."

The 400 kW station is also equipped with four charging stalls, which can be powered from solar electricity and energy storage system to not put too high of a strain on the electric grid.

Repsol notes the new ultra-fast charging infrastructure is 100% Spanish-built:

"Ibil, jointly owned by Repsol and the Basque Energy Board (EVE), was the company in charge of the project’s development, from the design and execution of the facility, including the associated electrical infrastructure, to operation of the system, marking an important technology milestone. In addition, the inverters and charging terminals were manufactured by Ingeteam, and the complete transformation center was supplied by Ormazabal, which means that all the technology for this facility is Spanish. The charging terminals at the Ugaldebieta service station are remarkable not only because of their power but also because they facilitate the integration of distributed energy resources, like renewable generation and energy storage. In other words, at this station it will be possible to use solar panels and storage for a variety of purposes, such as charging electric vehicles or supplying the energy to the electrical grid that powers homes and businesses. This will make it possible to reduce or eliminate the emissions caused from generating the energy needed to power electric vehicles."

Chief Financial Officer of Repsol, Josu Jon Imaz said:

“this second ultra-fast charging point allows Repsol to continue being a leader in mobility on the Iberian Peninsula, where we already participate in the largest public electric charging network. This facility in Ugaldebieta is a clear example of Repsol’s commitment to innovation and the development of new products and services capable of meeting the needs of customers.”

Repsol charging infrastructure

Besides the two ultra-fast charging stations (175+ kW), Repsol already installed 30+ fast chargers (40-50 kW).

"Repsol has 36 fast charging points at its service stations and participates, through Ibil, in a network with more than 1,700 charging points, 230 of which are publicly accessible. The company foresees installing new ultra-fast charging points in coming months."

The first station (350 kW) in Lopidana (Álava)