FINLAND. Finns connect over shop and charge

Finnish retailer K-Lataus has teamed up with Finland’s Kempower to expand the fast charging network across the country. The K-Lataus’ charging network will grow by over a hundred DC charging points at vital commercial locations for Kesko and along the main roads.

The retailer opted for Kempower chargers capable of delivering 400 kW, depending on the vehicle. Kempower solutions support 800 volts, just like the rest of K-Lataus’s network.

“As the total power of each new charging hub is at least 1600kW, we are able to guarantee fast charging even for large customer flows,” says Iiro Määttänen from K-Auto, responsible for the K-Lataus charging network.

The latter will see an expansion at four existing charging hubs, each growing by 18 new DC charging points from the current setup. These stations are in Heinola, Tampere region, Vantaa’s Tammisto and Turku’s Länsikeskus. K-Latus will also build new charging sites at K-Citymarket Ylöjärvi and Hämeenlinna. All charging hubs are at K-Citymarket locations. 

“This new phase is a great example of the power of Finnish e-mobility expertise and collaboration and the important role of retail in providing charging services,” says Erik Kanerva, Sales Director for Northern Europe at Kempower.

Overall, the retailer runs 300 charging hubs with 1,500 charging points in its nationwide network, which extends from Hanko in southern Finland to Kittilä in northern Finland. The network has approximately 175,000 registered private and corporate customers. All electricity charged at K-Lataus stations is renewable and produced with domestic wind power.