Audi factory Second loading center in Zurich
After three months of trial operation of the first charging station, which opened in Nuremberg in December 2021, Audi has decided to continue and expand the model project with its own charging stations.
This was announced by Audi CEO Markus Duesmann at the manufacturer’s annual press conference. The second location has already been decided: “We have successfully started the pilot phase with the Audi Charging Hub. In the summer we will test a second pilot in Zurich,” says Duesmann. “Charging must be as easy as refueling – and ideally even more convenient.”
The first location in Nuremberg has six reservable fast charging points that enable charging capacities of up to 320 kW. In order to relieve the grid connection, the charging hub has a stationary battery storage system made from second-life batteries – the system can therefore manage with a connected load of 200 kW.
So-called cubes serve as the basis for the Audi Charging Hub. The flexible container cubes can be set up and dismantled on existing surfaces in just a few days. The cubes offer two quick charging points per unit and can be combined in different constellations. On the first floor above the charging points there are lounges for staying during the charging process.
According to the official Audi announcement, Duesmann does not provide any further information on the second location in Zurich. The exact location and configuration of the cubes with the charging points is therefore not confirmed. According to the “Automobilwoche”, Duesmann stated at the press conference that the location will be designed differently than Nuremberg. “We will offer four charging stations there, this time without an associated lounge. There will be a charging capacity of up to 320 kW,” says the Audi boss.
Additional locations in addition to Nuremberg and Zurich are being planned, but details are not yet available. “The project is running very successfully,” Duesmann is quoted as saying. “There’s a lot in preparation.” He also writes positively about the demand for the Nuremberg location: “We had over 2000 charging processes. I was there myself once, and all the charging stations were occupied.”
The VW subsidiary Porsche also confirmed investments in its own HPC infrastructure at its annual press conference. Together with partners, Porsche will build “premium charging stations”. There are no confirmed locations like Audi, there are speculations about 100 Porsche-owned HPC locations in Europe, ten to 15 of them in Germany.
audi-mediacenter.com, automobile week. en