The landscape for electric vehicle charging and ownership has turned a significant corner after Ionity opened its first EV charging station in the UK.
Owners of electric vehicles will be able to access four high power 350kW charge points at its Maidstone, Kent, location that are capable of refilling a vehicle’s battery in less than 20 minutes – a potential game changer to overcome consumer reservations of convenience compared to the 50kW points that are the most common option currently. All of the electricity is also sourced from 100% renewable energy.
The Ionity network, which is a joint venture between some of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world – Daimler, Ford, BMW, and the VW Group – was devised with the goal to make electric vehicle travel across Europe feasible and convenient.
Ionity’s first High-Power Charging (HPC) site won’t be its last, with the organization planning to open 40 UK sites (soon to be joined by those in Milton Keynes and Gretna Green) as part of a Europe-wide network consisting 2400 chargers installed by 2020.
For all its chargers, Ionity will partner with energy technology specialists, Octopus Energy, to provide the entire network with an energy source that’s powered by entirely renewable sources. This aims to greatly reduce the environmental impact of a journey and offer peace of mind for environmentally conscious vehicle owners.
“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 HPC stations in the UK. Coupled with the new charging times that 350kW makes possible, this represents an important step towards making the environmentally friendly long-distance journey an everyday reality,” said Michael Hajesch, CEO of Ionity.
The charging points are compatible with all makes of electric vehicles using the combined charging system (CCS), which is the most widely adopted EV charging standard in Europe.
