Audi is planning to launch more than 20 electric vehicles by 2025 and the company knows they won’t be successful unless charging infrastructure significantly improves.
With that in mind, the automaker has unveiled the Audi charging hub which is being billed as a “concept for quick-charging for premium-level electromobility.”
Essentially a futuristic charging station, the hub has EV chargers on the first level and a lounge upstairs. The latter is like a first-class airport lounge and boasts a variety of amenities to make recharging a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Also Read: BMW Says EVs Won’t Take Off Until There Are Enough Charging Stations
While the lounge sure beats sitting in your car, there’s a lot of technology and smart thinking behind the scenes. In particular, the charging hub repurposes lithium-ion batteries from development vehicles and allows the station to store significant amounts of energy. This eliminates the need for high-voltage lines and expensive transformers.
The hub is envisioned to have 2.45 Mwh of energy storage as well as six charging stations with a maximum capacity of up to 300 kW. Since only a standard 400 volt connection is needed, Audi says the charging hub can be installed in a variety of places without extensive planning and preparation.
The charging hub consists of “container cubes” and they allow for “maximum flexibility and scalability.” They also enable hubs to be “transported, installed and adapted” to various locations largely independent of local network capabilities.
This isn’t just theoretical either as Audi is planning to conduct a pilot project in Germany. The automaker is currently talking to possible partners and is looking for a location to install their first charging hub.
If everything goes according to plan, the hub will open later this year. The company will monitor day-to-day operations and collect customer feedback to determine if additional hubs will be built. Furthermore, the automaker is planning to allow non-Audi owners to use the chargers and some parts of the lounge – at least for the pilot phase.
Audi’s Member of the Board for Technical Development, Oliver Hoffmann, said “A flexible high-performing HPC charging park like this does not require much from the local electricity grid and uses a sustainable battery concept. Our customers benefit in numerous ways: from the ability to make exclusive reservations, a lounge area and short waiting times thanks to high-performance charging.” He added the hub “embodies our aspiration for the electric era and highlights Audi’s commitment to Vorsprung durch Technik.”
