The first large-scale electromobile charge station in Shandong Province came into service in the Jiaozhuang area of Linyi City on June 23.?

The first large-scale electromobile charge station in Shandong Province came into service in the Jiaozhuang area of Linyi City on June 23. It is also the largest and most advanced one in China and the seventh charge station built by State Grid Corporation of China.

The station is located in the south of the city and covers about 13,653 square meters. The construction began April 22. A total of 21 direct current charge piles and 15 alternating current charge piles are set up. The capacity of power distribution is 1,600 kilovolt-amperes, enough to allow 21 electric buses and 15 cars to be charged simultaneously.

An electric bus needs three to four hours to be fully charged and can drive as far as 300 kilometers. This costs one-fifth of the price of fueling a diesel-powered automobile. An electric car needs two hours to finish charging and can drive about 120 kilometers. The cost is eight yuan (US$1.17).

The Yixing electromobile, produced by local Yixing Electromobile Factory, passed the Ministry of Information Industry's examination in April, qualifying it for mass production. The automobile showcases several of China's top technological advances such as a light vehicle body, an electric battery, a finished automobile controller, and a driving motor controller.

According to an employee at Shandong Electric Power Corporation (SEPC), the corporation will build nine charge stations and 500 alternating current charge piles in Shandong Province this year. Five charge stations will be located in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong, and Linyi City will have four stations.

Chen Qingquan, the president of World Electric Vehicle Association, said that an electromobile cannot be accepted by common people unless it has a high quality, convenient infrastructure, and a good business model. Additionally, a charge station is the basic requirement of developing an electromobile industry.