Wednesday 30th November 2016

Pan-European fast charging network plan confirmed

Ford, VW, BMW and Daimler to collaborate on a new European fast-charging network - the move EVs need?

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It's not often you hear of rival manufacturers working together on a project, particularly when said project doesn't even involve a new car. This is perhaps what makes today's agreement between Ford, VW, BMW and Daimler all the more significant, as it will benefit all sorts of customers and looks like beginning to address one of the big EV hurdles.

The four brands (VW including Audi and Porsche also) will commence work next year on "about 400" motorway charging points across Europe, with power levels up to 350kW. This should reduce charging times substantially, the overall aim of course to make long distance EV travel a realistic (and easy) prospect. The plan is described in the press material as "an important step towards facilitating mass-market BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) adoption."

The network will be built on Combined Charging System (CCS) technology, said to offer "the next level of capacity for DC fast charging". The claim is that thousands of stations will be available by 2020.

Sounds like big news then, particularly with a new range of EVs like the Jaguar I-Pace and Porsche Mission-E due in the next few years. How much more attractive does an EV become with the promise of hundreds more charging points?

Comment from the manufacturers has understandably been positive, BMW's Harald Kruger saying the proposed network "provides motorists with another strong argument to move towards electric mobility". Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler added: "With this cooperation we want to boost a broader market adoption of e-mobility and speed up the shift towards emission-free driving."

No doubt this is a big signal of intent from these prominent manufacturers, the move to EVs arguably taking a significant step forward with this agreement. Expect plenty more to follow in the coming months!

[bluerainer101]

Surely as good as this news is it's a bit short termish in the grand scheme of things. Would be better if we heard more about hydrogen vehicles and advances in that area of things, granted you've to put a lot of energy in to get hyrogen out but surely that's why we need advancements and car companies diverting more money and attention to this.

[bluerainer101]

Really interesting. I may stand corrected.

shalmaneser said:

An interesting graphic comparing battery and hydrogen power.

I initially thought hydrogen might be the answer too but I've changed my mind over the past few years. I think batteries are probably where it's at.

Especially given that the research pressure on battery development means that batteries will probably continue to outperform hydrogen for the foreseeable future.

No doubt fuel cells will have certain specialized uses but not for motor vehicles I'd have thought.