TECH INSIDER | IONITY
Continental
champion
Pan-European ultra-fast charging network, Ionity,
is putting the foundations in place to support
a new generation of long-range electric vehicles
Consumer expectations of electric
vehicles are shifting as quickly as the
technology itself. Rapidly improving
energy density and declining costs
are making long-range models increasingly
accessible, with most newcomers comfortably
able to cover more than 320km (200 miles)
between charging stops. The challenge now
is providing the high-powered, user-friendly
charging network to facilitate long-distance
trips, and that’s where Ionity steps in.
Founded in 2017, the Munich-based startup
has ambitious goals; a network of 400 ultrafast
charging stations serving Europe’s busiest
routes, scheduled to go live by the end of
2020. But it’s also well-funded, formed as
an equal-stake joint venture between BMW
Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and
the Volkswagen Group including Audi and
Porsche, while counting experts from across
the automotive, power generation and digital
economy sectors among its employees and
executives. Competing companies, working
towards a mutually beneficial goal.
“The question was how we overcome the
‘chicken and egg’ situation of infrastructure
and vehicles,” explains CEO, Michael Hajesch.
“Manufacturers are a perfect backing because
they are interested in having the network
up and running when they bring vehicles to
market. So they decided to focus on a specific
use case, which is long distance, and a joint
approach; knowing that it’s not a differentiating
factor to be able to refuel a vehicle, it’s the
vehicle itself and the services you get with it.”
This process began by mapping out a pan-
European network at intervals of 100 to 120km
(60 to 74 miles), before seeking partners with
the right mindset to host the units. Most will be
located at fuel forecourts and service stations
– Ionity has partnered with Shell in 10 of the 23
planned countries – and the network is claiming
to offer extra business as customers stop for
between 15 and 45 minutes to charge. The
energy used is 100% renewably sourced.
Attitudes are changing, Hajesch explains:
“To make the network available, you need the
locations. For long-distance driving, those
locations need to be direct at the highway, so
that’s what we did with retailers traditionally
selling fossil fuels. They are also big investors
in renewable energy and the transition to
e-mobility, so there was definitely a synergy.”
Location, location, location
Deployment is gathering pace. Ionity’s fi rst units
went live in April 2018 at an Autobahn Tank &
Rast service station near Brohltal, south of Bonn,
in Germany. The UK switched on its fi rst HPCs in
May with four of the country’s fastest chargers
based at a service station in Kent with energy
company Octopus to supply the 100% renewable
power supply. Ionity is rolling out 40 sites in the
UK, each with up to six HPCs and has partnered
with Extra MSA, a long-term specialist investment
owner, developer and operator on the UK
Motorway Network to provide HPC stations
across the country’s roadways.
At the time of writing the total Ionity network
comprises 121 locations in nine countries,
each with at least four 350kW charging points,
a direct 1.2MW connection to the transmission
grid and their own DC transformers and power
cubes. Hajesch says the company is on
schedule to have 250 in place by the end of the
year, despite the complexity involved.
32 // July 2019 // www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com
WORDS: ALEX GRANT
/www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com