Chaebi Extends Mobile EV Charging Service Until the 30th: "Overcoming Fixed Infrastructure Limitations"

Expansion of EV Adoption: Dual Strategy with Mobile and Fixed Chargers
"677 Vehicles Served in 3 Months...Charging Volume Increasing Monthly"
Continuous Expansion of Fixed Rapid Charging Infrastructure on Highways

As electric vehicle adoption continues to grow, the ability to reliably operate charging infrastructure is becoming increasingly important. In this context, Chaebi, a domestic operator of electric vehicle rapid charging infrastructure, is implementing a two-track strategy that supplements the limitations of fixed charging infrastructure by utilizing mobile chargers.

On September 8, Chaebi announced that it would extend the operation of the mobile electric vehicle charging service, which is promoted by the Ministry of Climate and Energy Environment, until September 30. In regions where fixed charging stations are insufficient or difficult to install immediately, users can request charging, and a vehicle equipped with an Energy Storage System (ESS) and a fast charger is dispatched to provide charging on-site.

Chaebi Mobile Electric Vehicle Charging Service. Chaebi

Overcoming Limitations of Fixed Chargers with Mobile Solutions

It is necessary to provide a stable charging environment by operating a fixed rapid charging network at key hubs, such as highway service areas that consistently attract long-distance vehicles. However, fixed charging facilities require a certain amount of time to secure power connections, land, and undertake installation work, making it challenging to respond quickly in regions with insufficient infrastructure or where usage surges during specific periods.

A total of 151 mobile charging units were deployed across five regions nationwide for this project. Chaebi participated as an operator responsible for the fifth region, which includes Gyeongsang, Daegu, Busan, and Ulsan, operating a total of 38 mobile charging vehicles. Users can request service via mobile or PC; when a request is received, a nearby vehicle is dispatched to provide charging support on-site.

Chaebi is currently deploying mobile charging vehicles at the Yeongdeok rest area (towards Yeongdeok) and the Pohang rest area (towards Pohang) on the Donghae Highway. Both rest areas have demand for electric vehicle charging but insufficient fixed charging stations, and the mobile charging service helps to address the infrastructure gap.

Operational data confirmed this demand. From the start of operations on February 11 through May 11, a total of 677 electric vehicles used Chaebi’s mobile charging service, recording a cumulative charging volume of 13,354.38 kWh. Both the number of service cases and the charging volume increased monthly, with most charging requests occurring between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Notably, on May 21, the service handled 28 charging requests in a single day, marking the highest daily performance during the operation period. The electricity supplied that day totaled 535.59 kWh, illustrating how the mobile charging vehicles can effectively address shortages in fixed charging facilities during peak demand.

Chaebi plans to expand services especially in areas where fixed chargers are difficult to install during the extended operation period. Additionally, the company will use the region- and time-specific usage data collected during operations to develop more efficient deployment strategies for mobile charging vehicles, while also refining future directions for the operation of the public charging network.

Chebi Charging Station exterior view. Chebi

Fixed Rapid Charging Networks for Highways... Selected as Preferred Negotiation Partner Again This Year

Fixed rapid charging networks are being expanded at highway service areas, where long-distance vehicles consistently gather. Chaebi was selected as one of three project operators in the '2025 Highway Service Area Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Construction Project' of Korea Expressway Corporation, responsible for Gwangju·Jeonnam, Daegu·Gyeongbuk, and Busan·Gyeongnam regions.

Chaebi has sequentially installed a total of 138 rapid chargers at 27 highway service areas within these regions, and began full operation in July. Among these, 85 chargers are equipped with North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors, allowing Tesla users to charge without a separate CCS1 (DC Combo) adapter.

Operational data also confirmed high demand at highway service areas. Analysis of July usage data from 23 service areas and 109 bays operated by Chaebi under the 2025 project showed that the average daily number of charging sessions per bay was approximately 2.5 times higher than at typical charging stations.

To enhance user convenience, Chaebi also implemented its 'BaroChaebi (PnC, Plug & Charge)' service. With this, connecting the charging connector to a vehicle enables automatic authentication, charging, and payment without the need to run a separate app or tag a membership card. The strategy aims to simultaneously increase both the quantity of infrastructure and the convenience of actual use.

Chaebi was also selected as the preferred negotiation partner for the '2026 Highway Service Area Electric Vehicle Charging Station Construction Project (Phase 2)' by Korea Expressway Corporation. Following negotiations and contract procedures, a total of 131 additional chargers will be installed at 29 highway service areas nationwide—including Yeoju (towards Gangneung), Yongin (towards Gangneung), and locations in Gangwon, Chungbuk, Daejeon·Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Gwangju·Jeonnam, Daegu·Gyeongbuk, and Busan·Gyeongnam.

This tranche consists of 118 chargers at the 200 kW level and 13 multi-chargers, with 82 of the 200 kW chargers set to be equipped with NACS connectors. With this, the total number of NACS-equipped chargers installed at highway service areas by Chaebi through the 2025 and 2026 projects is expected to increase to 167.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.