Ionity and Q8 open power charging stations on Belgian highways
As of today, you can charge your electric car along the Belgian highway in only 20 minutes. Q8 and Ionity have officially opened the very first high power charging stations along the E40 in Thieux (both directions). Simultaneously 4 electrical vehicles can charge their batteries for 300 kilometers – 5 times faster than it would take at ‘regular’ charging points. By joining this project, Q8 wants to actively participate in building the infrastructure of tomorrow’s mobility.
Together, Q8 and Ionity will build in total 16 Ionity charging stations in Belgium. Next to the 8 stations they now opened in Thieux North and South, they will be opening 8 more along the E42 in Froyennes (both directions). Most of the current charging points only have a power of 50 kW, whereas these high power charging points offer seven times that (350 kW per charging point). This means it will only take 20 minutes to charge your car for another 300 kilometers instead of over 1,5 hours. And it can be used by all cars with a CCS-plug – the European standard.
The increasing number of people choosing to drive electrically requires a performant charging infrastructure. By co-developing the Ionity network of ultra fast charging points alongside highways, Q8 aims to play a key role in the development of a performant infrastructure for tomorrow’s mobility.
“Q8 would like to evolve into a ‘mobility player’, a hub offering a broad range of mobility solutions – from petrol or diesel, to power for electric cars and CNG or hydrogen. Consequently, e-mobility is one of Q8’s strategic axes for the near future. As the sales of electric cars will keep increasing exponentially in the next few years, we have committed ourselves to fully invest in the electro-mobility market through investments, partnerships and acquisitions to provide the best future-proof service and convenience to our customer. We are very happy that through this partnership with Ionity, we can offer ultra fast charging in the time it takes our customers to enjoy a coffee,” says Fadel Al Faraj, Managing Director at Q8.
Boost for international e-mobility
The Belgian stations are part of Ionity’s broad network of 400 high power charging stations in Europe. “We are very pleased to open the first of our Belgian charging stations. Another milestone on our mission to complete 400 charging hubs in 24 European countries by 2020,” says Marcus Groll, COO Ionity. “Thanks to strong partners like Q8, we can provide a great network of high power chargers throughout Europe so we can offer maximum convenience to drivers of electric vehicles and give international e-mobility a real boost.”
