BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche form Joint Venture

IONITY – Pan-European High-Power Charging Network Enables
E-Mobility for Long Distance Travel

 


  • Joint Venture to build a High-Power-Charging (HPC) Network
    for electric vehicles starts operation
  • IONITY will implement and operate about 400 fast charging
    stations across European major thoroughfares until 2020
  • Build-up of 20 stations in multiple European countries
    starts already in 2017
  • A charging capacity of up to 350 kW enables to reduce
    charging time significantly when compared to existing systems
  • Multi-brand compatibility with current and future
    generations of electric vehicles through Combined Charging System (CCS)

 

 

Munich, Nov. 3, 2017 – Launching approximately 400
HPC stations by 2020, IONITY will make long-distance journeys easier
and marks an important step for electric vehicles. Based in Munich,
Germany, the joint venture is led by Chief Executive Officer Michael
Hajesch and Chief Operating Officer Marcus Groll, with a growing team,
set to number 50 by the start of 2018.

 

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

Creation of 20 charging stations starting in 2017

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 “Tank Rast”, “Circle K” and
“OMV”. Through 2018, the network will expand to more than 100
stations, each one enabling multiple customers, driving different
manufacturer cars, to charge their vehicles simultaneously.

With a capacity of up to 350 kW per charging point, the network will
use the European charging standard Combined Charging System to
significantly reduce charging times compared to existing systems. The
brand-agnostic approach and Europe-wide distribution is expected to
help make electrified vehicles more appealing.

Choosing the best locations takes into account potential integration
with existing charging technologies and IONITY is negotiating with
existing infrastructure initiatives, including those supported by the
participating companies as well as political institutions. The
investment underlines the commitment that the participating
manufacturers are making in electric vehicles and relies on
international co-operation across the industry.

The founding partners, BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and
the Volkswagen Group, have equal shares in the joint venture, while
other automotive manufacturers are invited to help expand the network.

For more information, please go to: www.ionity.eu

 

Contact

BMW Group

Saskia Eßbauer

+49 89 382 183 64

saskia.essbauer@bmw.de

www.press.bmw.de

 

Ford Motor Company

Monika Wagener

 +49 241 942 12 12

mwagener@ford.com

www.media.ford.com

 

Daimler AG

Madeleine Herdlitschka

+49 711 17 764 09

madeleine.herdlitschka@daimler.com

www.media.daimler.com

 

Volkswagen Group

Andreas Brozat

+49 5361 9 433 18

andreas.brozat@volkswagen.de

www.volkswagen-media-services.com

 

Porsche AG

Matthias Rauter

+49 711 911 243 32

matthias.rauter@porsche.de

www.presse.porsche.de

 

AUDI AG

Moritz Drechsel

+49 841 89 39914

moritz.drechsel@audi.de

www.audi-mediacenter.com

 

About AUDI AG 

 

The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one
of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in
the premium segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide
and produces at 16 locations in twelve countries. 100 percent
subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm),
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy) and Ducati
Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy). In 2016, the Audi Group
delivered to customers about 1.868 million automobiles of the Audi
brand, 3,457 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 55,451
motorcycles of the Ducati brand. In the 2016 fiscal year, AUDI AG
achieved total revenue of €59.3 billion and an operating profit of
€3.1 billion. At present, approximately 88,000 people work for the
company all over the world, more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi
focuses on sustainable products and technologies for the future of mobility.

 

About the BMW Group 

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than
140 countries. In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million
cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was
approximately € 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion.
As of 31 December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729
employees. The success of the BMW Group has always been based on
long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore
established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value
chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

 

About Daimler AG

Daimler AG is one of the world’s most successful automotive
companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks,
Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the
Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the
world’s biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global
reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet
management, insurance, financial investments, credit cards, and
innovative mobility services. The company’s founders, Gottlieb Daimler
and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in
the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, it is a
motivation and commitment of Daimler to shape safely and sustainably
the future of mobility: The Group’s focus is on innovative and green
technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal
and fascinate. Daimler consequently invests in the development of
efficient drive trains with the long-term goal of locally
emission-free driving: from high-tech combustion engines about hybrid
vehicles to electric drive trains powered by battery or fuel cell.
Furthermore, the company follows a consistent path towards intelligent
connectivity of its vehicles, autonomous driving and new mobility
concepts. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts
the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the
environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the
countries of the world and has production facilities in Europe, North
and South America, Asia, and Africa. Its current brand portfolio
includes, in addition to the world’s most valuable premium automotive
brand, Mercedes-Benz (Source: Interbrand-Study „The Anatomy of
Growth“, 10/5/2016), as well as Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and
Mercedes me, the brands smart, EQ, Freightliner, Western Star,
BharatBenz, FUSO, Setra and Thomas Built Buses, and Daimler Financial
Services’ brands: Mercedes-Benz Bank, Mercedes-Benz Financial
Services, Daimler Truck Financial, moovel, car2go and mytaxi. The
company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart
(stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2016, the Group sold around 3 million
vehicles and employed a workforce of more than 282,000 people; revenue
totalled €153.3 billion and EBIT amounted to €12.9 billion.

 

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan.
The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of
Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury
vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit
Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification,
autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately
203,000 people worldwide.

 

About Porsche AG

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG based in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany,
is the world’s leading manufacturer of exclusive sportscars. In 2016,
the company delivered around 237,000 new vehicles to its customers
around the world, generating sales of EUR 22.3 billion. The company’s
operating income sat at EUR 3.9 billion, making Porsche one of the
world’s most profitable automotive manufacturers. Porsche founded the
sportscar segment more than 50 years ago with the release of the
iconic 911 sportscar. Further model lines have since followed in the
form of the 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman, Panamera, Macan, Cayenne and 918
Spyder. Porsche is also setting milestones when it comes to plug-in
hybrid drives: Porsche was the first manufacturer to introduce this
technology in high-performance sportscars (918 Spyder), exclusive
saloons (Panamera S E-Hybrid) and premium off-road vehicles (Cayenne S
E-Hybrid). What’s more, with the tests on the 919 Hybrid prototype,
Porsche is already achieving success working on the technology of
tomorrow in the LMP1 class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
This technology is also set to be used in the first purely electric
series-production sportscar that will be launched by the end of the
decade in the form of the “Mission E”. In total, Porsche AG employs a
staff of around 28,000 across the globe through 70 subsidiaries.
Production facilities have been established in Zuffenhausen (for the
911, 718 Boxster und 718 Cayman) and Leipzig (for the Panamera, Macan
and Cayenne). The development, design and motorsports departments are
based in the Development Centre in Weissach, Germany.

 

About the Volkswagen Group

The Volkswagen Group with its headquarters in Wolfsburg is one of the
world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in
Europe. The Group comprises twelve brands from seven European
countries: Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Bentley,
Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles,
Scania and MAN. Each brand has its own character and operates as an
independent entity on the market. The product spectrum ranges from
motorcycles to small cars and luxury vehicles. In the commercial
vehicle sector, the products include ranges from pick-ups, buses and
heavy trucks. The Group operates 121 production plants in 20 European
countries and a further 11 countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa.
Every weekday, 610,076 employees worldwide produce nearly 42,000
vehicles, and work in vehicle-related services or other fields of
business. The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries.
With its “TOGETHER – Strategy 2025″ future program, the
Volkswagen Group is paving the way for the biggest change process in
its history: the realignment of one of the best carmakers to become a
globally leading provider of sustainable mobility.