IONITY – et europeisk superraskt hurtigladenettverk som gjør det mulig å kjøre lange distanser med elektriske kjøretøy

BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company og Volkswagen Group med Audi og Porsche, annonserte i dag at de etablerer joint venture selskapet IONITY. Selskapet skal implementere og drifte et nettverk av superraske hurtigladestasjoner for elektriske biler i hele Europa.

I løpet av 2020 skal det bygges rundt 400 superraske hurtigladestasjoner. Dette vil være et viktig steg på veien for å kunne kjøre lengre strekninger med elektriske biler i Europa.

Det nye selskapet, IONITY, er etablert i München, Tyskland, og er ledet av Adm.direktør Michael Hajesch og Salgsdirektør Marcus Groll. Ved inngangen til 2018 vil 50 personer være ansatt i IONITY.

- For at elektriske biler skal slå igjennom i markedet er tilgangen på et stort nettverk av superraske ladestasjoner helt avgjørende. Opprettelsen av IONITY er en viktig milepæl og viser at bilprodusentene i felleskap tar dette ansvaret på alvor. Med opprettelsen av dette superraske hurtigladernettverket i Europa, gjør vi elektriske biler egnet også for lengre kjøreturer. Vårt fokus er å levere rask og enkel lading med en digital betalingsløsning til hver enkelt kunde, sier Michael Hajesch.

Starter byggingen av 20 superraske hurtigladestasjoner i 2017

IONITY vil implementere og drifte rundt 400 hurtigladestasjoner før 2020 og de første 20 stasjonene har byggestart i 2017. Disse vil settes opp langs motorveier og andre hovedferdsårer i Tyskland, Norge og Østerrike. De vil være tilgjengelig for alle og være lokalisert rundt 120 km fra hverandre.

IONITY vil også samarbeide med viktige forretningspartnere som «Tank & Rast», «Circle K» og «OMV» og vil dermed kunne benytte deres attraktive beliggenhet.

Nettverket vil i løpet av 2018 utvides til mer enn 100 superraske hurtigladestasjoner. Hver av disse stasjonene vil tilby mange forskjellige lademuligheter slik at kundene har tilgang til tusenvis av superraske merkeuavhengige hurtigladepunkter innen 2020.

Hurtigladenettverket vil bruke den europeiske ladestandarden «Combined Charging System» (CSS). Ladekapasiteten vil være opp til 350 kW per ladepunkt. Dette vil gjøre at ladetiden på nye el-biler med denne teknologien vil bli merkbart kortere enn ved dagens hurtigladestasjoner.

Tilgjengeligheten for alle bilmerker med denne teknologien og den brede distribusjonen i Europa vil øke aksepten for elektriske biler i fremtiden.

Felles innsats for å få et europeisk nettverk

Å finne den riktige plasseringen for ladestasjonene er en av IONITYs viktigste oppgaver. Selskapet vurderer også intelligente sammenkoblinger med eksisterende ladeteknologier. IONITY er også i konkrete forhandlinger med eksisterende infrastrukturinitiativer – støttet både av offentlige og private virksomheter.

Ved å investere i utviklingen av ladenettverk understreker bilprodusentene sitt engasjement i forhold til å lansere elektriske biler. Alliansen er avhengig av et internasjonalt samarbeid på tvers av bransjen i et solid partnerskap.

De første partnerne, BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company og Volkswagen Group har alle den samme eierandelen i joint venture selskapet IONITY. Andre bilprodusenter blir også invitert til aktivt å bidra for at hurtigladenettverket skal bli større.

For mer informasjon: www.ionity.eu

About AUDI AG

The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 16 locations in twelve countries. 100 percent subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy) and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy). In 2016, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.868 million automobiles of the Audi brand, 3,457 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 55,451 motorcycles of the Ducati brand. In the 2016 fiscal year, AUDI AG achieved total revenue of €59.3 billion and an operating profit of €3.1 billion. At present, approximately 88,000 people work for the company all over the world, more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi focuses on sustainable products and technologies for the future of mobility.

About the BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately € 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31 December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees. The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

About Daimler AG

Daimler AG is one of the world’s most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world’s biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet management, insurance, financial investments, credit cards, and innovative mobility services. The company’s founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, it is a motivation and commitment of Daimler to shape safely and sustainably the future of mobility: The Group’s focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal and fascinate. Daimler consequently invests in the development of efficient drive trains with the long-term goal of locally emission-free driving: from high-tech combustion engines about hybrid vehicles to electric drive trains powered by battery or fuel cell. Furthermore, the company follows a consistent path towards intelligent connectivity of its vehicles, autonomous driving and new mobility concepts. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world’s most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz (Source: Interbrand-Study „The Anatomy of Growth“, 10/5/2016), as well as Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes me, the brands smart, EQ, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, FUSO, Setra and Thomas Built Buses, and Daimler Financial Services’ brands: Mercedes-Benz Bank, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Daimler Truck Financial, moovel, car2go and mytaxi. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2016, the Group sold around 3 million vehicles and employed a workforce of more than 282,000 people; revenue totalled €153.3 billion and EBIT amounted to €12.9 billion.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 203,000 people worldwide.

About Porsche AG

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG based in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany, is the world’s leading manufacturer of exclusive sportscars. In 2016, the company delivered around 237,000 new vehicles to its customers around the world, generating sales of EUR 22.3 billion. The company’s operating income sat at EUR 3.9 billion, making Porsche one of the world’s most profitable automotive manufacturers. Porsche founded the sportscar segment more than 50 years ago with the release of the iconic 911 sportscar. Further model lines have since followed in the form of the 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman, Panamera, Macan, Cayenne and 918 Spyder. Porsche is also setting milestones when it comes to plug-in hybrid drives: Porsche was the first manufacturer to introduce this technology in high-performance sportscars (918 Spyder), exclusive saloons (Panamera S E-Hybrid) and premium off-road vehicles (Cayenne S E-Hybrid). What’s more, with the tests on the 919 Hybrid prototype, Porsche is already achieving success working on the technology of tomorrow in the LMP1 class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). This technology is also set to be used in the first purely electric series-production sportscar that will be launched by the end of the decade in the form of the “Mission E”. In total, Porsche AG employs a staff of around 28,000 across the globe through 70 subsidiaries. Production facilities have been established in Zuffenhausen (for the 911, 718 Boxster und 718 Cayman) and Leipzig (for the Panamera, Macan and Cayenne). The development, design and motorsports departments are based in the Development Centre in Weissach, Germany.

About the Volkswagen Group

The Volkswagen Group with its headquarters in Wolfsburg is one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. The Group comprises twelve brands from seven European countries: Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Scania and MAN. Each brand has its own character and operates as an independent entity on the market. The product spectrum ranges from motorcycles to small cars and luxury vehicles. In the commercial vehicle sector, the products include ranges from pick-ups, buses and heavy trucks. The Group operates 121 production plants in 20 European countries and a further 11 countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. Every weekday, 610,076 employees worldwide produce nearly 42,000 vehicles, and work in vehicle-related services or other fields of business. The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries. With its “TOGETHER – Strategy 2025" future program, the Volkswagen Group is paving the way for the biggest change process in its history: the realignment of one of the best carmakers to become a globally leading provider of sustainable mobility.