November 22, 2023 – ABB has been awarded a contract by EV infrastructure company Polara to provide compact secondary substation (CSS) skid-mounted power distribution units for charging electric vehicle fleets in Canada and the United States.

“ABB’s extensive experience with grid applications and proven engineering are some of the reasons that we elected to work with them to create a cost-effective solution that meets our customer’s needs,” said Sébastien Fournier, Polara CEO.

As part of the collaboration, ABB is supplying power distribution skids for the Polara CHRGPK, a modular unit that will come in various skid sizes, depending on the number of vehicles requiring charging at any given time.

Each CHRGPK unit comprises a CSS housing low- to medium-voltage switchgear up to 40.5 kV, transformers, and a low-voltage switchboard with protection devices.

Assembled and tested at the factory, the pre-engineered modular skids promise to reduce engineering, risk and time while offering plug-and-play installation and increased safety.

“The custom-engineered solutions can be duplicated in future rollouts,” Fournier added. “This is critical to keep up with the growing market demand.”

Polara CHRGPK

“ABB is a solution provider that understands grid codes and integrated packages,” said Brandon Spencer, president, ABB Energy Industries. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide solutions that are safe, reliable and help to accelerate the adoption of sustainable transportation in North America.”