VW To Install 2000 Charging Stations In The U.S. By Mid-2019

Volkswagen’s Electrify America unit has announced that it plans to have completed the installation of 2000 chargers throughout the United States by June 2019.

Electrify America, born out of the diesel emissions scandal, will install the chargers at almost 500 stations across the country. It will also install charging stations at more than 100 Walmart store locations in 34 states across the country.

Part of Electrify America’s ambitious project will see it offer various different connectors at each of the charging stations, including those capable of handling 50 kW, 150 kW and 350 kW capacities with liquid-cooled cables.

No vehicles currently on sale can handle in excess of 350 kW when charging, but both the Audi E-Tron and Porsche Mission E will accept these high-speed chargers. Furthermore, VW’s forthcoming fleet of I.D. models will support 350 kW fast charging.

Also Watch: Audi’s E-Tron All-Electric SUV Looks Ready To Enter Production

To put this into perspective, Tesla’s Superchargers provide between 120 and 140 kW of power, enough to fully charge a 90-kWh Model S in a touch over an hour. In theory, a 350 kW system can add roughly 20 miles of range for every minute a vehicle is plugged in – that’s 300 miles (482 km) of range in a brisk 15 minutes.

The Drive reports that Electrify America’s charging stations will cost roughly $370 million to construct and operate. This forms part of the Volkswagen Group’s $2 billion investment in EV infrastructure, education and access as part of the dieselgate settlement.

VW says the charging sites will be located in 17 metropolitan areas and on highways in no less than 39 states. These highway stations will offer between four and 10 chargers, while those located in metropolitan locations will have between three and six.