E ON SE : BMW, E.ON, and Siemens successfully complete DC fast-charge project along the A9

'Fast-charging for Electric Vehicles along the A9 freeway,' a research project conducted by BMW, E.ON, and Siemens, came to a successful conclusion at the end of October 2015. Berlin-based Allego GmbH will now begin commercial operation of the eight fast-charge stations. 'ELECTRIC MOBILITY CONNECTS (BAVARIA-SAXONY),' a showcase project supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, enabled e-mobility in Germany to take a big step forward. Nine government-supported projects are establishing a nationwide charge infrastructure for the country's freeway system. A closing ceremony attended by Bavarian State Minister Ilse Aigner, board members of the three project partners (BMW, E.ON, and Siemens), and Allegro's managing director was held at BMW headquarters in Munich on October 30.

BMW, E.ON, and Siemens have installed eight direct-current (DC) fast-charge stations and related infrastructure along the A9 freeway connecting Munich, Nuremburg, and Leipzig. The project is part of the 'ELECTRIC MOBILITY CONNECTS (BAVARIA-SAXONY)' showcase. The charge stations, which were installed at freeway rest areas and on the premises of partner companies situated directly along the A9, have been open to customers since May 2014. They are located at Schweitenkirchen, Ingolstadt, Lauf, Himmelkron, Selbitz, Hermsdorf, Schkeuditz, and Dessau. The charge station in Dessau connects this network with that of a Berlin-Brandenburg showcase project, making it possible for electric vehicles (EV) to travel between Munich and Berlin.

The network of charge stations between Munich and Leipzig offered users two payment schemes: a pay-as-you-go scheme using text messages and a contractual e-roaming scheme administered by a mobility-services provider. Throughout the project, the partners evaluated customers' preferences for the two schemes as well as the location and economics of the individual charge stations. Thanks to its attractive location, the station near Ingolstadt Village outlet mall was the most successful. All of the stations were designed to provide users with a convenient, safe, and efficient charge experience. They offer easy access to vehicles traveling in both directions on the freeway, user-friendly charge procedures, and nearby eating and leisure options for customers while their car is being charged. The experience gathered during the project will benefit other projects in Germany as well as Allego, thereby supporting the operation of a national DC charge infrastructure.

EV drivers generally prefer to use e-roaming apps to pay for charges. Two thirds of all charges along the A9 were paid for via Hubject, an e-roaming platform. But a no-contract, pay-as-you-go scheme also proved necessary, with one third of charges being paid for trough an SMS-based payment system.

The operations center used a charge-management software solution developed by Siemens to monitor and control the A9 charge infrastructure and quickly resolve any problems. The software also makes it possible to connect the charge stations with the IT systems of energy supply companies and mobility-services providers in order to grant access to the charge infrastructure. The operations center was in service until the project's conclusion and was periodically adjusted as new insights were gained during the project.

'Germany is a global leader in industry and research. That's why it's important that we continue to embrace e-mobility and other technologies of the future. The Free State of Bavaria will continue to promote the development of e-mobility and has set aside more than €130 million for this effort. The A9 pilot project has provided us with a valuable storehouse of knowledge and experience that we can draw on for the necessary further expansion of DC fast-charge infrastructure,' Bavaria's Economics Minister Ilse Aigner explained.

'The project with BMW and E.ON enabled us to test DC fast-charge systems under real-life conditions. The results demonstrate that a national network of such systems can be successfully installed along Germany's freeways,' said Jan Mrosik, CEO of Siemens's Energy Management division.
'This project makes long-distance EV travel along the A9 possible for the first time. It has also provided us with important insights into e-mobility business models and the needs of EV customers. Several hundred EV owners have used this service. Fast-charge stations will become economic to operate as the number of users increases significantly,' said Robert Hienz, CEO of E.ON Energie Deutschland.

'The all-electric BMW i3 is an outstanding product in our lineup. It's the leading vehicle in its class in many markets, which tells us that we're on the right track. For e-mobility to become more popular in Germany, we need a dense public charging infrastructure. That's why the BMW Group is involved in numerous infrastructure projects. It would be nice to see more legislative initiatives in Germany, because experience shows that government incentives increase the popularity of new technology. I believe that properly tailored incentives would encourage significantly more people to embrace e-mobility,' said Klaus Fröhlich, member of the BMW AG Board of Management with responsibility for development.

'The project has done a lot to draw attention to the need for fast-charge infrastructure in nonurban areas, and now initiatives are being conducted to establish a fast-charge network in Germany,' Allego Managing Director Marcus Groll said. 'Thanks to their locations and the distances between them, the stations create the first interregional charge network for EVs. We're pleased to be taking over the commercial operation of the stations, which are located at very convenient intervals along the A9 freeway.'

Electric mobility showcase research program: In April 2012, the German federal government selected four regions of Germany to serve as 'Electric Mobility Showcases' in which it supports, under a resolution passed by the German federal parliament, the research and development of alternative power trains. The federal government has earmarked a total of €180 million for the showcase program, which consists of large-scale demonstration and pilot projects to test several aspects of e-mobility, including the vehicles themselves and how they interface with the energy and transport systems. The 'ELECTRIC MOBILITY CONNECTS (BAVARIA-SAXONY)' showcase consists of about 40 projects-involving more than 100 partners-with a total budget of about €130 million. The showcase is jointly overseen and coordinated by Bayern Innovativ GmbH and SAENA, the Saxon Energy Agency.

More information is available at www.schaufenster-elektromobilitaet.org.