A fast battery charger for electric cars debuted at a convenience store Thursday in Aichi Prefecture as part of efforts by Chubu Electric to promote the use of eco-friendly vehicles.
The charger at the Circle K outlet in Komaki is the first installed at a convenience store within Chubu Electric Power Co.'s service area, the utility said.
To use the charger, which has an output of 44 kw and can recharge 80 percent of a battery in about 30 minutes, users must first obtain membership for the service, the utility said.
A Chubu Electric official demonstrated how to use the charger for the media in the morning. He let the charger recognize his membership card and plugged it into an electric car. The charging started automatically.
Store manager Kenji Matsumoto, 36, said he hopes the machine will bring in more revenue.
Chubu Electric plans to install 21 chargers in Aichi in the coming months, and could expand the service to Nagano, Shizuoka, Gifu and Mie prefectures.
