Introducing the Blink Series 8 ISO EV Charging Station

Blink is making electric vehicle charging and installation easier and more convenient for everyone with the introduction of the Blink Series 8 ISO. The Series 8 ISO is a Level 2 charging station that can be adjusted to accommodate different power levels, is ISO15118 Plug & Charge hardware-ready and built at Blink’s new Bowie, Maryland manufacturing facility. Here’s what you need to know about the new Blink Series 8 ISO electric vehicle charging station.

The new built-in derating dial

Blink’s first-generation Series 8 came in 48amp or 80amp versions, which means that property owners or developers must match the charging station to their electrical service. But what if you need charging stations now but might want to upgrade to higher power later? Alternatively, what if you want to set a maximum power at your chargers, but your local utility or electrical code requires a physical (rather than network) limitation? You can now install the flexible Series 8 ISO thanks to its built-in derating dial which can be configured up to 80 Amps (A).

As one power supply company explains, derating means operating an electrical device below its maximum rated operating parameters to meet safety, thermal and reliability requirements.

The Series 8 ISO is hardware-ready for future electrical upgrades. If your existing building only has 30-50amp power supply, you can use the new derating dial to limit electricity. When you upgrade your electrical system later, your electrician can then simply switch the built-in derating dial to increase power to 80amp. The Series 8 ISO’s derating dial is a safety and cost-savings measure to future-proof EV charging installations for business owners.

ISO 15118 Plug & Charge Capability

The Blink Series 8 ISO is hardware-ready for ISO 15118-2 Plug & Charge. What this means is that once the EV market is ready for Plug & Charge, EV drivers will plug compatible EVs into the Series 8 ISO to start charging immediately – no credit cards or mobile applications needed. 

An international standard covering EV charging protocols, ISO 15118-2 defines Plug & Charge, and ISO 15118-20 defines Vehicle to Grid (V2G). Blink is designing our next-generation EV charging stations like the Series 7 ISO and Series 8 ISO to communicate with electric vehicles in a secure, encrypted manner. This encryption protects drivers’ personal information from potentially unsecured or harmful third-party service providers. The encryption and decryption of data, and the two-way authentication between the charging station and the EV, is made possible by the ISO 15118 standard.

ISO 15118 enables the Plug & Charge system by establishing a secure link between the EV and the charging station. When a Plug & Charge-capable EV is plugged into a Plug & Charge-capable EV charging station, the two products perform a virtual “handshake” to identify, validate, and authorize a charging session. No credit card or other type of payment method is required in a Plug & Charge situation because the vehicle itself has a payment account. This new technology makes EV charging easier for new EV drivers.

Improved communication

The new Blink Series 8 ISO is capable of data communication with built-in 4G LTE, ethernet and wifi. This means that station hosts with limited cellular data coverage have a bevy of connectivity options to suit any situation.

More plug options

The dual-port Series 8 ISO can be equipped with either the universal J1772 connector or the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector. If you buy a Series 8 ISO with both a J1772 connector and an NACS connector, your charging station will be compatible with all EVs in North America, no Tesla adapter needed.

Faster installation

The Blink Series 8 ISO comes with a new terminal block that supports #2 AWG (American Wire Gauge) input cabling. This new feature will be appreciated by your EV charging installer, because it means that the Series 8 ISO is super simple to install.

Carrying on the Series 8 legacy

While the Blink Series 8 ISO is an upgrade, it still carries on the legacy of our original Series 8 charging stations that are built in Bowie, MD.

The rugged aluminum enclosure is tough and able to stand up to the harshest weather environments, from -30 degrees C or +50 degrees C (-22 F to 122 F). Your installer can configure the Series 8 ISO for a maximum of 80A per port (or less, thanks to the built-in derating dial). At its maximum amperage, the Series 8 ISO delivers up to 19.2kW per port when connected to a 240VAC (Volts Alternating Current) system or 16.64kW per port when connected to a 208VAC system.

With a compact charging head unit, the Series 8 ISO is available with an sleek pedestal or wall-mounting for maximum flexibility at your site. The optional cable management system helps to keep charging stations neat and tidy so 23-foot long charging cable does not drape on the ground. An easy-to-read LCD screen and bright status LED indicator lights helps EV drivers and parking managers understand pricing and charging status, even at a distance.

In addition to Plug & Charge for use with compatible EVs, drivers may use several other payment options with the Series 8 ISO:

Who should install a Series 8 ISO charger?

For businesses that want to provide public Level 2 EV charging to their customers and employees, the Blink Series 8 ISO would be ideal, especially if they require credit card functionality. With Plug & Charge capability, future customers and employees will simply plug in their vehicle to start charging. The charging station and vehicle will take care of the rest! And for EVs without this upcoming technology, a credit card reader makes public charging easy.

The Blink Network & the Series 8 ISO Charger

The Blink Network allows businesses to set custom pricing, manage and monitor all Blink charging stations from a single platform, and generate reports. And by offering public charging, your business can appear on the Blink mobile app and popular third-party EV charging locator services like PlugShare.

Need fleet management software for your charging stations? Learn more about EV fleet management with Blink.

Conclusion

Blink’s Series 8 ISO L2 charging station provides hosts or fleet operators with the same sturdy, made-in-America craftsmanship and convenience as its predecessors, but also makes installation. With its ISO 15118 Plug & Charge capability, in the future drivers will be able to start charging simply by plugging in their vehicle, no external credit card reader needed. To speak to a Blink EV charging expert about the new Series 8 ISO, contact Blink Charging today.

Need a private ISO Level 2 charger without a credit card reader? Click here to learn more about the new Blink Series 7 ISO charger.