Development of Volvo’s C30 Electric prototype is continuing nicely, though the automaker remains coy on when we might see a production version. The fact that the C30 is being discontinued doesn’t bode well for the eventual launch of the C30 Electric, though it’s likely the technology behind the prototype will eventually transfer to other models.

Today Volvo has announced it is testing a new electric car fast-charger, which the automaker says can reduce charge times to a maximum 1.5 hours, roughly six times faster than most electric car charging systems.

Of course, Tesla recently unveiled its own fast-charger, which is claimed to provide around 150 miles of driving range in about 30 minutes of charging time. By comparison, Volvo’s fast-charger provides about 50 miles of driving range in 30 minutes, which would still be ideal for urban jaunts but not highway travel.

Volvo says the setup is the world's first charger that operates on a three-phase supply. Using a high-voltage outlet, a full recharge of the C30 Electric’s 24-kWh lithium-ion battery takes about 1.5 hours and provides 93 miles of driving range. Using an ordinary household outlet, charge times take about 8-10 hours. The system also lets you top up the batteries multiple times per day.

A number of Volvo C30 Electric prototypes have been leased to users in a trial being run in Europe. The hardware necessary for the new charger will be installed and evaluated in some of the prototypes in the coming months.