European Commission approves BMW, Daimler, Ford and Porsche fast-charging network JV

02 May 2017

The competition authority of the European Commission has agreed to the establishment of a joint venture (JV) by the four carmakers BMW, Daimler, Ford and Porsche. The JV between the four OEMs plans to install and operate common charging points for their electric cars in several EU member states. The Commission concluded that that cooperation did not raise any competition concerns.  

Several hundred electricity stations with up to 30 charging points each using the CCS connector, which is now standard, are to be created along Europe’s main traffic routes. The charging points are being designed to have a charging capacity of up to 350kW, which allows for the recharging of about 300 kilometres of range within 20 minutes. Expanding the network to the US is also under consideration. 

Meanwhile, in Germany, transport minister Alexander Dobrindt has officially launched the country’s ′charging infrastructure’ programme by approving funding for 595 charging points in and around Hamburg. The city’s funding application was made on 1 March and, according to electrive.net, ′is the first of a total of just over 100 recipients of funding and can look forward to more than €2.79 million, which will be used for the expansion of the charging network. The federal program supports 595 charging points (535 alternating current (AC) and 60 direct current (DC)). At present, 452 publicly accessible charging points (435 AC and 17 DC) are already in operation in Hamburg. The majority of these, namely 381 (371 AC and 10 DC), are operated by the city’s Stromnetz Hamburg GmbH.’ 

Electrive.net further reports: ′Since March 1, 2017, more than 1,000 applications have been submitted under the federal funding program. This corresponds to a funding volume of 47 million euros, according to the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMVI). A total of 111 applications for 395 DC and more than 1,400 AC charging points have now been granted in a first step. According to the BMVI, the greatest funding amounts are going to Bavaria, Baden-WÜrttemberg, Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia.’