How do public chargers hold up in extreme weather? There’s probably no better place to answer that question than Iceland, where over 20 ABB fast charging stations have been installed along the country’s main highway, Route 1.

The chargers are exposed to the most punishing weather conditions, including temperatures as low as -30° C. “You will not find a more challenging climate than in Iceland,” said Bjarni Már Júlíusson, CEO of ON Power, which operates the network. “The chargers are exposed to incredibly harsh weather conditions, with lots of salt, sea fog, low temperatures, moisture and storms.”

ABB Ability technology is designed to ensure that the chargers remain in service. Remote digital connectivity gives ON Power access to data in real time for the monitoring and proactive control of the stations.

The chargers are connected to the Microsoft Azure cloud-based platform. According to ABB, technicians can diagnose over 90 percent of errors and solve over 60 percent of them remotely without having to go to the location.

“ABB is typically able to remotely reboot a charger if there is an error, which is extremely convenient in Iceland, due to the long distances and tough weather involved in sending out service personnel,” said Óskar Gústavsson, Sales Manager at Johan Rönning, ABB’s distributor in Iceland.

Source: ABB