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From Televisions to EV Chargers, LG Is Banking on U.S. Adoption

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  • LG is a known and trusted brand for all sorts of consumer electronics, and EV chargers could be its next breakthrough product.
  • With a newly announced 100,000-square-foot plant in Fort Worth, Texas, LG says it will pump out 12,000 chargers annually.
  • Level 2 chargers are up first, but LG is hot on the trail of Electrify America and other charger brands with 175-kW and 350-kW DC fast chargers incoming.

Save for some regional snacking desires, most car owners don’t think twice about which branded gas station they pull into. Whichever station has the lowest price per gallon on the flashing LED sign is typically the winner at any given middle America crossroads.

But the same can’t be said for EV chargers, as EV owners will tell you firsthand.

From Volkswagen-subsidized Electrify America and Tesla Superchargers to Blink Charging and ChargePoint, chargers seem to work at varying degrees, largely depending on the day and maintenance routines of the operator.

an electric vehicle at a charging station in the city all items in the scene are 3d, charging station and concept cars are not based on any real ones

piranka

SAE J1772 connectors will be standard on all Level 2 LG chargers.

But what if the manufacturer of these EV chargers was 77 years versed in the realm of consumer electronics?

There’s no guarantee this will improve reliability, but it’s worth a shot. At least that’s how LG seems to be approaching the electric-vehicle market, as the Korean electronics company officially announces its next big move into the charging market.

LG’s first Level 3 DC charger with charging speeds up to 175 kW will begin production this spring.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including LG’s new charger production facility. With a 100,000-square-foot plant in Fort Worth, Texas, LG will have an annual capacity of 12,000 units, all produced with 100% green power. Strategically built next to LG’s distribution center, chargers will be headed out the door as early as this month.

LG says its primary charger customers are hotels, restaurants, venues, transit hubs, and municipal buildings managed under an owner-operated setup. These businesses will set their own rates and work to match charging capacity with local demand, allowing for hyper-regional flexibility beyond the scope of companies like Electrify America.

Level 2 AC chargers capable of 11 kW of output power with a load management solution and variable current settings will be the first chargers to roll out of LG’s new American production hub.

Then, LG’s first Level 3 DC charger with charging speeds up to 175 kW will begin production this spring, with CCS1 and NACS connectors available. The inclusion of Tesla’s NACS standard for LG chargers (which was announced in November) comes as no surprise, as automakers across the spectrum quickly move to adopt the plug type.

While LG’s Level 2 chargers are more simplistic in packaging, its DC fast chargers will feature a large outdoor LCD touchscreen. Beyond allowing customers to monitor their charging session, LG says this display will allow operators to charge for local advertisements as well.

lg level 3 dc fast charger at ces

FREDERIC J. BROWN//Getty Images

LG showing off its incoming Level 3 DC fast charger at CES.

Beyond rolling out tens of thousands of Level 2 chargers, LG is focused on developing an even faster DC fast charger to compete with Electrify America’s 350-kW chargers. LG’s 350-kW units are still in development, though the brand says we can expect the initial rollout of these hyper-fast chargers later this year.

“Today marks a major step in LG’s roadmap to support the electrification of America by making the EV charging infrastructure smarter, more accessible, and more profitable for operators,” said LG Business Solutions USA’s Senior Vice President Michael Kosla.

With such a focus on local charging usage, LG says a welcomed side effect of the new Fort Worth plant is significant job development. LG and local politicians didn’t provide a specific number of jobs, though the company did say dozens of new tech jobs would be a part of the package.

“This is a great day for Fort Worth with this global leader choosing to establish its US manufacturing base for EV chargers and creating new jobs here,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “We take pride in knowing that LG’s advanced EV charging stations that will be deployed across the United States will be built right here in Fort Worth.”

Which EV charging brands have you had the best luck with? Please share your experiences below.

Headshot of Emmet White

A New York transplant hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Emmet White has a passion for anything that goes: cars, bicycles, planes, and motorcycles. After learning to ride at 17, Emmet worked in the motorcycle industry before joining Autoweek in 2022. The woes of alternate side parking have kept his fleet moderate, with a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and a 2003 Honda Nighthawk 750 street parked in his South Brooklyn community.

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