CHAEVI and Kovillage Company Partner to Build Korea's First Off-Grid EV Charging Station
Korea's leading EV fast-charging operator, CHAEVI, and Kovillage Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to build and operate Korea's first off-grid electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, powered solely by solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems (ESS), at the Kovillage Goseong senior campus.
Our take
Is off-grid solar and battery storage EV charging a viable business in Korea?
Not yet shown, because Korea's first off-grid solar and battery EV charging site is a single MOU for a 2029 opening with no cost, system size or utilisation data.
An off-grid site has no grid backup or export revenue, so its economics rest on system sizing the article does not give. What would change the answer is a signed main contract and published operating data once the site runs.
What the source says
- CHAEVI is the top EV fast-charging infrastructure operator (CPO) in Korea.
- The MOU includes building CHAEVI fast-charging infrastructure at a key East Coast tourism location.
- The MOU also covers operating 'CHAEVI Stay,' a complex charging culture space combining F&B, rest, and retail.
- The CHAEVI charging station at Kovillage Goseong will operate off-grid, using solar power stored in ESS for EV charging without connection to the KEPCO grid.
- This off-grid model, operating solely on self-generated solar energy, is Korea's first eco-friendly charging model.
- CHAEVI is discussing participating as a strategic investor (SI) in the special purpose corporation (SPC) for the Kovillage Goseong project.
- CHAEVI CEO Choi Young-hoon stated they plan to pursue a main contract within 2026 after due diligence and detailed discussions.
For investors — EV charging and storage investors should treat this as a demonstration and wait for published utilisation and system cost data before building a business case.
Watch: Monitoring the signing of the main contract between CHAEVI and Kovillage Company within 2026, and the progress towards the Kovillage Goseong project's target opening in 2029.
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