- Octopus Energy and IONITY, a consortium of leading car manufacturers, announce a partnership to provide IONITY’s High Power EV chargers with renewable energy in the UK.
- IONITY, a joint venture between car manufacturers BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ford and the Volkswagen Group, including Audi and Porsche, is planning a network of High-Power Charging points (HPCs)
- Octopus Energy’s ‘Electric Juice’ service will supply IONITY charge points with 100% renewable electricity
- IONITY’s HPCs can deliver a high-speed charging capacity of up to 350 kW, with the potential to reduce charging time to just 8 minutes.
A new network of market leading chargers across the UK is set to revolutionise EV charging infrastructure, providing cheaper, greener and faster energy through a new partnership between IONITY, a consortium of BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen Group, including Audi and Porsche, and energy technology company Octopus Energy.
The network of High-Power Charging (HPC) stations will be powered by 100% renewable electricity from Octopus Energy’s ‘Electric Juice’ service, tailored to electric vehicle charge point operators.
IONITY’s HPC technology, with a charging capacity of 350kW, can slash charge times to a record-breaking 10 minutes. IONITY uses the European CCS charging standard, giving it the widest compatibility across current and future EVs. This means that more UK EVs than ever will be able to charge on the road at a speed comparable to filling a car up with petrol at the pump.
Zoisa Walton, Director, Octopus Energy for Business, said:
“We are committed to bringing a fundamental change to the UK’s EV landscape. By improving the affordability, practicality, convenience and green credentials of e-mobility options, IONITY and Octopus Energy are making EV ownership more accessible. Both companies are intent on providing for the future, with forward-thinking plans and technology – pushing boundaries to deliver the fastest, cleanest, most affordable charging power on the market.”
Michael Hajesch, CEO of IONITY, said:
“All of us at IONITY are driven by the belief that charging an electric vehicle should be so easy that soon it will become as simple as filling up your conventional vehicle. Our partnership with Octopus.
“Energy means that not only will consumers be able to benefit from High Power charging, but they will have the peace of mind that renewable energy provides. The launch of the first of 40 IONITY high power charging stations at Maidstone on the M20 underlines the fact that the UK is a key market for us and we are delighted that we are able to partner with Octopus Energy to deliver renewable energy to consumers at ultra-fast speeds.”
The first Electric Juice station in Maidstone, will be followed by more sites in the coming weeks. Currently there are 40 stations planned across the UK by 2020. These will be IONITY’s first UK charge points, with 94 stations already operating across mainland Europe serving thousands of customers.
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About IONITY’s Electric Juice High-Power Charging network
IONITY’s charging technology is able to directly convert AC power to DC via industrially-robust electronics before transmitting it straight into a vehicle’s battery at full velocity.
Each charge point offers the potential of up to 350 kW. Smart logic inside the charger means all EVs equipped with CCS will automatically charge at the fastest rate their batteries can safely handle.
A vehicle capable of the full 350 kW charging power can be charged in approx. 10-15 minutes, significantly faster than it takes at more common 50 kW charging stations as of today – and three times quicker than current fast chargers.
All vehicles using the Combined Charging System (CCS), the most widely adopted EV charging standard in Europe, are compatible with the network.
About Electric Juice
Octopus Energy launched Electric Juice in 2019 to provide 100% green electricity to help emerging and high growth charging point businesses and operators with variable consumption to secure the best electricity prices. It is the first specialist energy supply service of its kind for EV charging companies. Electric Juice was developed by Octopus Energy for Business, a division of Octopus Energy which powers thousands of UK businesses with 100% green electricity. Using the same technology backbone as Octopus Energy, OEB specialises in creating custom tariffs which include dynamic pricing for electricity intensive business sectors, simplifying complex information from multiple energy points to enable customers to better engage with their energy consumption.
For journalists in their professional capacity only. Issued by Octopus Energy Ltd. Registered office: 33 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HT. Registered in England and Wales No. 09263424. Issued: May 2019.