Lausanne – Alpiq and IONITY are driving forward the expansion of e-mobility. On 21 June 2018, together with the Neuenkirch motorway service area, the partners officially commissioned Switzerland’s first 350 kW charging station – one of the first in Europe. This pioneering project contributes towards sustainable and decarbonised road-based mobility.
Together with its partners, the automotive joint venture IONITY is establishing 400 high-power charging stations throughout Europe. A full-coverage network with a distance of 120 kilometres between charging stations is being created along Europe's main motorways. As a partner, Alpiq plays a significant role in implementing Europe’s largest rapid charging network. The charging station at the Neuenkirch service station on the A2 motorway was equipped with six new high-power charging points. Electric vehicles can now be charged quickly, and drivers of electric vehicles that will in the future be capable of using high charging currents will be able to recharge energy for a range of 100 kilometres in just four minutes.
As a pioneer in the field of electro-mobility, Alpiq was responsible for the planning, installation and commissioning of the charging station. Alpiq has already demonstrated its expertise as an e-mobility service provider, amongst other things with the electrification of the Grand Tour of Switzerland and the provision of the infrastructure for the electrically powered fleet of Gebäudeversicherung Bern using smart load management devices from Xamax.
Pioneers of European electro-mobility
This is a further step towards the success of the “10/20” industry target of Auto-Schweiz, the Association of Swiss Automobile Importers, which aims to achieve a 10-percent share of electric vehicles in all newly registered cars by 2020. The high-power charging stations make electric mobility more suitable for everyday use and reduce waiting times for customers to a minimum. The fact that the station is equipped with several charging points also significantly increases availability for the customer. Particularly on long-distance routes and at strategic locations along the trunk routes, the charging time and availability are decisive in order to guarantee a rapid onward journey.
The IONITY station in Neuenkirch is equipped with ABB Terra HP chargers that are the first with liquid-cooled cables to be installed in Europe. The chargers use the CCS charging format, one of the main industry standards. Terra HP chargers are also capable of supporting the CHAdeMO DC fast charging standard.
The 350 kW charging station in Neuenkirch is a further milestone in the still young history of Swiss e-mobility and makes a significant contribution towards integrating and increasing the acceptance of electro-mobility in everyday life. Alpiq is firmly convinced of the significance of e-mobility and will continue to expand its portfolio as a provider of solutions and digital mobility services in Europe.
More information:
www.alpiq.com
www.alpiq-e-mobility.ch
www.ionity.eu