The Volkswagen Group has already installed more than 15,000 fast charging stations worldwide
The Volkswagen Group has only made an interim report on the deployment of a global network of fast charging stations. By the end of 2022, more than a third of the 45,000 terminals the company plans to install by 2025 will have been put into service. In total, the company’s network has around 15,000 fast charging stations (HPC), for a maximum capacity of 350 kW. On the occasion of Power Day 2021, the Group announced its intention to become the first international car manufacturer to deploy, in collaboration with its partners, a global network of fast charging accessible to the public, for all electric vehicles. By the end of 2023, nearly 10,000 HPC terminals should be in service in Europe, 25,000 worldwide.
Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management responsible for innovative technologies and CEO of the Volkswagen Division, underlined: “A few years ago, Volkswagen started deploying an international network of fast charging station. With 15,000 terminals installed in North America, China and Europe, we are already among the pioneers of electromobility. This is a success we owe in particular to our close cooperation with our industry and energy partners. We believe we that car charging is not only a requirement for electromobility, but also a strategic sector with high potential. And we have every intention to develop it in the future. »
The fast-charging stations are being rolled out in Europe, among other places, with the help of IONITY, a joint venture owned by Audi and Volkswagen Passenger Cars, brands of the Volkswagen Group, as well as the sports car manufacturer that Porsche. Last year, the Group also announced the creation, in Italy, of the Eviva joint venture with Enel X Way, a member of the Enel Group. Volkswagen is also installing fast charging stations under strategic partnerships with BP and Iberdrola. With BP, the Group plans to set up a network of 8,000 terminals in Europe, specifically consisting of Flexpole terminals manufactured by Volkswagen’s Components division. With Iberdrola, the company will equip the main Spanish traffic axes. In the United States, the expansion of the Group’s electrical infrastructure is managed by Electrify America, the largest public fast charging network in North America. In China, this work is carried out by the CAMS joint venture. As announced on the occasion of Power Day, Volkswagen and its partners aim to develop a global network so that it has a total of 45,000 terminals by 2025: 18,000 in Europe, 10,000 in North America and 17,000 in China.
Elke Temme, who heads the Charging & Energy Management Solutions business, explains: “We set ourselves the goal of making electromobility accessible to everyone. The successes we have achieved in this field, in cooperation with strong partners, prove the relevance of our approach. Together, we can create future mobility that is sustainable and accessible. »
The Volkswagen Group makes charging and energy management its core business
The NEW AUTO strategy, deployed in early 2021, brings together all activities related to electric vehicle charging and energy management, under the supervision of the Technological Innovations function within Management Board. Today, the Volkswagen Group Technology entity plays a major role in the Group’s ambitions in terms of electromobility. Goal: to be among the leading suppliers in the sector by deploying an intelligent charging and energy management ecosystem. Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of the Volkswagen Group, confirmed this role in his 10-point plan, making the electric charging sector and energy management a key part for the company’s future. In addition to the deployment of a global network of fast charging stations, Volkswagen now offers a range of products covering the entire range of charging solutions for individuals and businesses, from domestic walls terminal to flexible solutions, including charging station services and innovative and smart pricing for green electricity. The Group is also working to develop electric vehicles that are mobile energy storage units, integrated into the energy supply system, to allow motor vehicle users to create value.
