ABB helps Estonia launch first nationwide electric-car network

Gear giant ABB Ltd., Zurich, helped make Estonia home to world’s first nationwide network of electric-car charging systems earlier this week. The Estonian government is subsidizing up to 50 percent of the price of electric cars, according to an ABB release. The 165 ABB Terra 51 DC quick chargers, which can fully charge a vehicle in 15 to 30 minutes, are installed in urban areas with more than 5,000 inhabitants, and on major roads throughout the country, creating the highest concentration of DC chargers in Europe. On highways, the chargers are never more than 60 km apart, making it possible for electric vehicles to travel anywhere within the Baltic state without running out of power.