Record: SMATRICS EnBW further accelerates expansion of e-charging infrastructure
As of July - just in time for the vacation season - a total of 260 HPC fast-charging points are available in the SMATRICS EnBW charging network in Austria, which is 84 more high-power chargers than at the beginning of the year. The focus of the expansion of the charging infrastructure in the second quarter was on retail partners: A total of 32 charging points were installed at BILLA stores.
"In addition to the fast charging network along the high-level road network, the charging infrastructure at retail partners is now growing in particular. At our state-of-the-art charging stations with an output of up to 400 kW, drivers can charge their vehicle on the side during a short shopping stop. With modern cars, this is enough for the following days' journeys or until the next shopping trip. In this way, we are making e-mobility simple and suitable for everyday use for anyone without a wallbox at home," explains Thomas Landsbek, CEO of SMATRICS EnBW.
Creating more capacity in less time
"Compared to normal fast chargers with up to 50 kW, the new HPC chargers deliver 8 times the power. This will further accelerate the ramp-up of e-mobility and the path to the energy transition," says Hauke Hinrichs, COO of SMATRICS EnBW.
One important lever for an accelerated ramp-up is the construction of larger locations. "By offering more charging points in one place, we can provide end consumers with a more convenient charging experience and at the same time take advantage of synergies in maintenance and operation," says Hinrichs. "We have also optimized and stabilized our cooperation processes with the local distribution network operators. These improved processes enable us to expand new charging station locations and extend existing stations more quickly and easily." SMATRICS EnBW is also investing in the necessary transformer stations for this purpose.
Update of existing e-charging infrastructure to complement the expansion
The new charging stations are spread across nine locations: In Vienna and Salzburg, there are now four additional HPC fast-charging points each, while in Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Styria there are eight each. In Burgenland, there are even twelve, meaning that this federal state has overtaken Vorarlberg and Vienna in terms of high-speed charging points. Most SMATRICS EnBW High Power Chargers are located in Lower Austria and Upper Austria.
In addition to the expansion, the company is also investing heavily in updating the existing e-charging infrastructure. The electricity for operating the charging stations continues to come 100% from renewable energy from VERBUND.
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