E.ON and Denmark based e-Mobility service provider CLEVER has established a new strategic partnership with the ambition to roll out ultra-fast charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) along main European motorway corridors. The two partners have considerable experience and expertise in building and operating EV infrastructure networks and related services in Northern Europe. The joint ambition of the partners is to now establish several hundred ultra-fast charging locations across Europe. The sites will be placed every 120-180 kilometers along motorways. E.ON and CLEVER invite more partners with the same ambitions to join this effort.
CLEVER and E.ON share the ambition to take a leading role in shaping tomorrow’s transportation system in Europe. The common vision is to establish Europe’s first ultra-fast charging backbone for electric car drivers, and the first ultra-fast charger will already be installed this year. The two partners are in dialogue with a number of other parties. The formation and timing of the partnership and the shared ambition is, however, also linked to the growing demand from motorists requesting seamless and sustainable transportation alternatives. This is combined with the promise by multiple car manufacturers to market numerous next generation electric cars with longer driving range within the next few years. The number of electric cars on European roads is set to grow dramatically over the coming years, as European countries increasingly mandate CO2 emission reductions in transportation, and as EV technology further evolves.
“We hope that our common ambition will lead to the first comprehensive ultra-fast charging infrastructure being established in Europe. A network of this magnitude not only requires solid funding and expertise, it would also be a game-changer for the growth of EV demand and a key blueprint for accelerating green and sustainable e-Mobility. This approach fits well with our strategy to make e-Mobility as convenient as possible for our customers. Partnering with CLEVER brings their longstanding on-the-ground experience and strengthens the innovative customer centric approach on e-Mobility,” says Frank Meyer, Senior Vice President B2C & Innovation at E.ON.
“The transition and mass market adoption of electric mobility requires long-range EVs and a reliable ultra-fast charging network across borders. The car manufacturers will soon start to deliver the EVs, and we will utilize our experience since 2009 in building, operating, and servicing Nordic EV drivers to offer the best customer journey and charging experience for long distance electric driving across Europe. Teaming up with E.ON, one of Europe´s largest energy companies, is an important step towards accomplishing our vision to accelerate tomorrow’s sustainable mobility,” says Casper Kirketerp-Møller, CEO at CLEVER.
The ambition is to create a unique and coherent pan-European ultra-charging network that is capable of accommodating the charging needs of both existing EVs and the next generations of long-distance EVs. Initially, the ultra-fast charging stations will offer 150 kilowatt (kW) of charging power with a modular upgrade option to 350 kW, following the technological development.
