Automakers Begin Work on EV Charging Network Across Europe

BMW, Daimler, Ford, and Volkswagen Group are working to develop a network of EV charging stations across Europe over the next few years. The automakers have officially launched a new joint venture, Ionity, to achieve this goal.

This year, 20 stations will open to the public, and through 2018, the network will expand to 100 stations. By 2020, the company wants to have about 400 stations in place throughout Europe. The stations will accommodate cars from different manufacturers, and multiple cars will be able to charge simultaneously. They should charge vehicles more quickly than existing systems due to their capacity of up to 350 kW. For comparison, this capacity is more than double that of Tesla’s Superchargers, although the automaker is looking to upgrade its stations.

The network is based on the Combined Charging System that utilizes a connector compatible with most current and next-gen EVs, the automakers say. Other automakers, including Kia and Nissan, use a separate CHAdeMO standard.

Ionity has established its headquarters in Munich, Germany. By the beginning of next year, the company hopes to have a team of 50 people.

“The first pan-European HPC network plays an essential role in establishing a market for electric vehicles. IONITY will deliver our common goal of providing customers with fast charging and digital payment capability, to facilitate long-distance travel,” said Michael Hajesch, CEO of Ionity, in a statement.

The four automakers announced their intention to pair up on EV charging stations almost a year ago. “The charging experience is expected to evolve to be as convenient as refueling at conventional gas stations,” the automakers said in their original announcement back in November 2016.

Source: BMW, Daimler, Ford, VW

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