Following the successful December launch of a “first of a kind” EV quick-charging hub in Nuremberg, Germany, Audi announced this week that it plans to open a second such facility in downtown Zurich, Switzerland, followed by additional sites through 2023 and 2024.
German automaker Audi unveiled its unique EV charging hub late last year, a concept project built around second-life batteries offering six fast-charging points with up to 320kW of charging power connected to a 200kW green power connection through the low-voltage network that runs parallel to the primary electric grid.
The hub was designed using several different new ideas, including the use of container cubes and second-life batteries, solar panels on the roof, an exchange station for electric bike batteries, an electric scooter lending service, information about various Audi products, as well as test drives in the Audi Q4 e-tron and RS e-tron GT.
Audi’s concept charging hub was, therefore, less about overhyping a new EV charging station and more about creating an easy-to-deploy charging solution based around reducing costs and resources, avoiding complex high-voltage infrastructure, and utilising batteries that have reached the end of their useful life as a vehicle battery.
Audi announced this week that its Nuremberg pilot had been a huge success with repeat customers accounting for around 60% of the 3,100 charging sessions reported between January and the end of April.
Designed to serve urban EV drivers unable to charge at home, the Audi concept charging hub averaged 24 charges at about 800kWh per day, while the lounge with its catering options attracted an average of 35 customers a day.
Frequent use was also made of additional services such as the exchange for micromobility batteries as well as a grocery delivery service.
“The numbers and positive customer feedback demonstrate that our concept of offering flexible, premium quick-charging infrastructure in urban spaces was spot on,” said Ralph Hollmig, Audi charging hub project manager.
To build on the success, Audi said this week it was planning to roll out more such charging hubs, starting with a pilot site in downtown Zurich, and then in Salzburg and Berlin. Additional sites will follow in Germany through 2023 and mid-2024.
The Zurich charging hub will play home to four roofed charging points at two power cubes, packed tight in the famed banking and insurance district.
Given the short preparation times for planning and implementation and the lack of any need for civil engineering work, Audi expects the hub will soon be up and running.
Meanwhile, the reworked swivel arm ensuring barrier-free charging of all cars across the entire width of the individual charging points with up to 320kW of power will allow any and all EVs access.
Two similarly compact charging hubs will be deployed in Berlin and Salzburg later this year, while three additional sites in German cities are expected to be deployed through 2023.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.