IONITY, a joint venture between Daimler, Ford, BMW and the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche, earlier this month launched its first ultra-fast charging station in the UK, equipped with four CCS charging stands (up to 350 kW).
"The first UK station equipped with four High Power chargers, each capable of charging up to 350kW and located in Maidstone (M20 Junction 8), will soon be joined by locations in Milton Keynes and Gretna Green."
"The Maidstone site is launched in partnership with Motor Fuel Group, the largest independent forecourt operator in the UK."
According to IONITY, by 2020 the company will install in Europe 400 sites with up to 2,400 chargers, and around 10% (40) falls on the UK, which should be enough to enable long-distance travel using highways.
In the UK, IONITY will charge the cars using 100% renewable electricity, through a contract with Octopus Energy.
"For all of its UK stations, IONITY is partnering with energy technology specialists, Octopus Energy to ensure the entire network is powered by renewable sources. Octopus Energy’s ‘Electric Juice’ will provide every charge point with 100% renewable energy, greatly reducing the environmental impact of a journey and providing peace of mind for environmentally conscious drivers."
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Michael Hajesch, CEO, IONITY said:
“We are delighted to be launching our network in the UK with our first station in Maidstone. As car manufacturers continue to launch electric vehicles with bigger batteries to provide a longer range, High Power charging is an essential part of the e-mobility transition process thus making the e-journey a smooth and seamless experience. We are passionate about making e-mobility a reality, with drivers already taking advantage of our convenient stations across Europe. We selected Octopus Energy to provide 100% renewable energy for our network of 40 High Power Charging stations in the UK. Coupled with the new charging times that 350 kW makes possible, this represents an important step towards making the environmentally friendly long-distance journey an everyday reality.”
Zoisa Walton, Director, Octopus Energy for Business, said:
“We are committed to bringing a fundamental change to the UK’s EV landscape. By improving the affordability, practicality, convenience and green credentials of e-mobility options, IONITY and Octopus Energy are making EV ownership more accessible. Both companies are intent on providing for the future, with forward-thinking plans and technology – pushing boundaries to deliver the fastest, cleanest, most affordable charging power on the market.”
Andrew Edwards, MFG’s group infrastructure director, said:
“We are delighted to be extending our fuel offer to customers. The growth of the electric and hybrid vehicle market is an important part of the fuel mix going forward. MFG is determined to be at the forefront of this technology, satisfying this growing demand. The installation of these high-power chargers using renewable energy at Maidstone adds even greater momentum to the growing uptake of EV vehicles.”