Enel X and IP activate ultrafast charging facilities in Italy.
So, earlier this week we heard about how an Israeli company, StoreDot has developed the worlds first 5-minute charge battery pack for use in an electric vehicle which gives a fast solution to charging on the go and reducing the issue of driving range anxiety. Now, comes news of an ultrafast charging station with a 15-minute charging time for both electric vehicles (EV) and also plug-in hybrids (PHEV).
High Power Charge
Enel X and IP announce that the first three HPC (High Power Charge) charging facilities of the E-VIA FLEX-E project in Italy are now operational. These ultrafast charging stations enable owners of electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrids to fully charge their EV in around 15 minutes.
The network consists of seven HPC (High Power Charge) charging stations, placed in IP-branded refueling areas, which are part of the ‘E-VIA FLEX-E’ European project. Enel X is coordinating the project in partnership with EDF, Enedis, Verbund, Nissan, Groupe Renault and Ibil. The project is co-financed by the European Commission within the framework of the Connecting Europe Facility Transport 2016 call. This program will also create four ultra-fast sites in Spain and two in France.
The Partnership
“The partnership with IP further demonstrates Enel X’s commitment to promoting the spread of electric mobility across Italy. The creation of a network of ultrafast charging stations, which allows even faster charging times, is crucial to encouraging long-distance travel by car, including international trips,” said Francesco Venturini, CEO of Enel X. “Today marks an important first step on the path that will see us install as many HPC points as possible throughout the country.”
“By activating ultrafast charging points along suburban road corridors, we are doing two important things,” said Ugo Brachetti Peretti, President of IP. “First, by reducing charging times, we make the electric car customer experience closer to the traditional one. Second, we expand the offer of the distributor network, which is a strategic infrastructure on which to build the transition to sustainability. In step with its mission to get Italians moving, the distributor IP is increasingly becoming a multi-energy hub, giving customers access to all forms of energy for mobility.”
Station Locations
The first three ultra-fast charging stations up to 350 kW are already operational at the IP service stations in Peschiera del Garda in the province of Verona, Zanica (Bergamo) and Biandrate (Novara), which can recharge four vehicles simultaneously in about 15 minutes. Four more will be added during 2021. Thanks to this project Enel X becomes the first CPO (‘Charge Point Operator’) in Italy able to deal with all types of chargers on the market.
Enel X is Enel’s global business line dedicated to the development of innovative products and digital solutions in the sectors where energy is showing the highest potential for transformation: cities, homes, industry, and electric mobility. The company is a global leader in the advanced energy solution sector, managing services such as demand response for more than 6 GW of total capacity at a worldwide level and 116 MW of storage capacity installed worldwide, as well as a leading player in the electric mobility sector, with around 170,000 public and private EV charging points made available around the globe. Since its creation, innovation and sustainability have been at the center of Enel X’s strategy, with the circular economy – the perfect combination of these two elements – applied to many Enel X products and services.
History
IP API Group has been active in the fuel and mobility sector since 1933. With more than 1,200 employees, a network of 5,000 IP-branded locations, and nationwide logistics, it is the sector’s leading private operator.
