Enel, through its advanced energy services division Enel X, has signed an agreement with Ionity, a joint venture between BMW, Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen Group (through Porsche and Audi). The agreement provides for the installation, by the end of 2019, of 20 Ionity recharging sites, each with a maximum of six high-power columns with a power of up to 350 kW.
Going into detail, on the basis of the provisions, Enel will take care of identifying the stations, purchasing, installing and maintaining the charging stations at each site. On the other hand, Ionity will be responsible for managing the sites, through the European charging standard CCS (“Combined Charging System”), with a capacity that reaches 350 kW, thus ensuring compatibility in charging current and future electric vehicles of most of car manufacturers.
The stations will also be integrated into Enel's national plan for the construction of a charging infrastructure network, which envisages up to 14 sites by 2022, and into the entire charging infrastructure network in the country.
When fully operational, each station will be able to charge new generation long-distance vehicles that can travel over 300 kilometers on a single charge and which are expected to be launched on the market from the end of 2018 onwards.
The 20 Italian sites are part of the Ionity plan which establishes the installation of around 400 HPC charging stations (high-power charging) across Europe, capable of fully charging current and next-generation electric vehicles in 15-30 minutes.
“With this important agreement, we are entering a new futuristic phase of electric mobility, with the creation of a network of charging stations capable of responding quickly to the energy demand of electric cars, drastically reducing charging times. The network will make it possible to travel long distances, combining environmental sustainability with the pleasure of sporty and safe driving. As partner of IONITY, Enel will select the most suitable Italian locations to host high power stations to supply the highest segment of the electric car market. Our goal is to give further impetus to the spread of electric mobility in the country, ensuring the integration of these high-performance structures with Enel's National Plan for e-mobility" he commented Francesco Venturini, head of Enel X.
Marcus Groll, Chief Operating Officer of Ionity, commented: “Ionity and Enel X are on the same path. We want long-distance travel to become a reality for electric vehicles in Europe. Our collaboration with Enel X allows us to build a powerful charging network that addresses the so-called "range anxiety" that currently worries electric car users".
