SK Broadband enters EV charging business

SK Broadband’s home-care subsidiary Home & Service is getting into the electric vehicle (EV) charging business.

Home & Service, which sets up internet and IPTV services for SK Broadband, said Wednesday it has been chosen as one of five operators of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s new socket-type EV charger project.

The other four companies are Powercube, Charzin, Starkoff and Dayou Plus.

The Seoul city government said Monday that it will install 7,000 socket-type chargers for EVs in 294 residential areas around Seoul by the end of this year.

Socket-type EV chargers can be installed in apartment parking garages. They take up less space than conventional EV chargers, which need a separate machine to function and look like sockets in walls.

It costs around 500,000 won ($429) to install each charger, which will be paid for by the city government. The chargers have an electric capacity of 3 kilowatts per hour and cars can run 150 kilometers (93.2 miles) after charging for 10 hours.

Home & Service said it will use its know-how after managing 6.2 million SK Broadband customers’ internet and IPTV services across the country.

The company will start setting up chargers this month.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]