German carmakers BMW, Daimler, Porsche, Audi, and Ford recently said that they would cooperate on a Europe-wide network of electric car–charging stations. The companies released a statement on the joint venture, planning to begin construction of some 400 high-speed charging stations across Europe in 2017. The end goal is to have “thousands” of stations operating by 2020.
“We intend to create a network that allows our customers on long-distance trips to use a coffee break for recharging,” said Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler in a statement.
Hybrid and all-electric cars from any manufacturer using the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard will be able to use the stations, in a move aimed at boosting electric car sales on the continent. The stations will deliver a charge of 350 kW, reducing the time it takes to fill up.
German carmakers have lagged behind some competitors when it comes to introducing electric models. The technology remains little-used in Europe, hobbled by high prices, the short range of the vehicles, and a lack of recharging infrastructure. But recent months have seen a fresh commitment from the industry, a pillar of Europe’s largest economy, to speed up the introduction of electric cars.
The joint venture is also an effort to avoid a shortage of charging stations in Europe. Canada, which has almost 20,000 electric cars on the road, has a shortage of sites already. Given the nascent tech’s range limits, a dearth of stations is an impediment to wider adoption. —Relaxnews with additional reporting by the RealClearLife staff
Learn more by watching the video about the stations below.
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