27/05/19
Ionity Opens First 350kW Charging Station
Following a recent announcement from BP Chargemaster that they’ll be installing 400 ultra-fast chargers by 2021, charging network ‘Ionity’ has successfully opened their first 350kW charging station. Promising the ability to charge compatible electric cars in under 20 minutes, the station is one of the first in the UK.
Located in Maidstone, Kent the new station kicks off Ionity’s plan to create more than 40 350kW charging stations across the United Kingdom; with the next ones coming in Milton Keynes and Gretna Green. Ionity say that each of their stations will offer up to six of their high powered chargers.
Much like the plans from BP Chargemaster, Ionity’s plan is more about future-proofing the UK’s charging network; after all, much like BP Chargemaster’s 150kW chargers, there are currently no cars on the market that are capable of accepting 350kW.
The first electric car thought to offer 350kW compatibility will be Porsche’s fantastic looking Taycan, which we can expect to see early next year.
That’s not to say that people can’t use the new charging stations from Ionity – all electric vehicles can charge at the stations, they just use a lower rate of charge. Speaking of their plans, an Ionity spokesperson told Autocar:
“[Our] 350kW UK charging network is future-proofed, delivering infrastructure capable of charging times as low as eight minutes depending on the capacity of the vehicle’s battery, thus making e-mobility a convenient, reliable and everyday experience.”
Ensuring that the venture by Ionity, which is backed by manufacturers such as Daimler and Volkswagen Group, is entirely environmentally friendly, the company say that they source all energy for their chargers from 100% renewable sources, through energy technology company Octopus Energy.
Importantly, the new 350kW charging stations from Ionity will help to further increase the appeal of electric vehicles, cutting charging times and combating a common argument that faces electric vehicles – ‘It’s more convenient to drive traditional cars due to long recharging times’.
What do you think of the new stations from Ionity? Would you consider the switch to electric if charging times were reduced significantly? Let us know on Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter.
