Solum said on Wednesday it has entered a public-sector electric vehicle charger pilot project run by Qatar's electricity authority.

The project is the first case of a South Korean company taking part in Qatar's electricity authority Kahramaa's public-sector proof-of-concept programme. It was arranged in cooperation with South Korean charger manufacturer CHAEVI. The pilot product is one CHAEVI third-generation 180 kW fast charger equipped with Solum's 30 kW power module. It is due to arrive in Qatar in early July after production and air shipment.

Qatar has set cutting its carbon footprint and electrifying public transport as key goals under its National Vision 2030. It is pursuing a plan to switch public transport buses entirely to electric vehicles by 2030, and Kahramaa directly oversees the installation and tendering of EV charging stations. Public charging infrastructure will be expanded in stages to 300 units by the end of 2024, 600 in 2025 and 1,000 in 2030. As of January 2024, there are about 200 public charging stations in Qatar.

The key verification task for the PoC is adaptability to the Middle East's distinctive environment. Solum's power module must maintain stable direct current (Vdc) output in line with design specifications even in conditions of extreme heat, with summer peak temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, and constant sandstorms. Solum plans to secure objective verification data on the durability and environmental adaptability of its power module through the pilot.

The local partner is VIM Automotive, a specialised automotive company established and operated by Qatar's royal family. The company has taken part widely in public infrastructure projects including those involving Kahramaa, and has an extensive network across the Gulf Cooperation Council region.

Solum's head for the Middle East and Africa sourced the opportunity directly and concluded the partnership, securing a channel to enter Kahramaa's public infrastructure projects. The company said it aims to expand its EV charging solution business in stages to markets in six GCC countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, based on the Qatar pilot reference.

Changseob Lee (이창섭), Solum's head for the Middle East and Africa, said, "This Qatar electricity authority pilot is the first opportunity to have our technological capabilities and local business development capacity directly verified in the challenging Middle East market." He said, "Based on the PoC results, we will steadily build trust with our local partner and move forward to fully launch our business in the GCC region."