BMW, Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen Group have launched a joint venture called IONITY, which will develop and implement a High-Power Charging (HPC) network across Europe.

The network will use the CCS charging standard, and each charging point will have a capacity of up to 350 kW.

A total of 20 stations will be opened to the public this year, located on major roads in Germany, Norway and Austria, at intervals of 120 km, through partnerships with retailers Tank & Rast, Circle K and OMV. The network is slated to expand to approximately 400 HPC stations by 2020.

“The first pan-European HPC network plays an essential role in establishing a market for electric vehicles,” said IONITY CEO Michael Hajesch. “IONITY will deliver our common goal of providing customers with fast charging and digital payment capability, to facilitate long-distance travel.”

Source: Audi