In Bochum, Aral put the first two ultra-fast charging stations on Castroper Hellweg into operation on March 27, 2019. According to its own information, Aral is thus starting the provision of fast charging connections on its own and starting operations autonomously, from building the charging infrastructure to billing.
The first systems have a charging capacity of up to 160 kilowatts and, according to Aral, can be upgraded to a capacity of 320 kilowatts. This means that under optimal conditions and with the appropriate battery technology, around 6 kilometers can be charged within 100 minutes. With the appropriate battery technology, the upgraded 320 kilowatt charging station can be charged very quickly within up to 15 minutes up to 80% of the battery capacity. To do this, however, the charging connection of the electric car must first be adapted in the future. Two normal charging points with 22 kilowatts are also planned for plug-in hybrids in Bochum.
Aral is expanding its future customer base with the fast charging connections, Aral board member Patrick Wendeler comments on this in a press release:
“The mobility of the future will consist of a mix of different drive technologies. Electromobility plays an important role in this. As the market leader in the German filling station business, we can be an ideal point of contact for electric car drivers, provided that charging is as fast as filling up with liquid fuel. "
Expansion of further locations is planned
The ultra-fast charging stations will soon be available at other locations. The Aral filling stations in Dettelbach, Merklingen, Schkeuditz and Wittenburg are mentioned.
The charging process should be simple. According to Aral, this requires the following steps:
- Sign in / Authorize
First, the customer has to register at the charging station either with his charging card or app or in the online portal using the QR code. - Start charging
The customer opens the cover on his vehicle and connects it to the charging station. He starts the charging process at the charging station, via the app or the online portal. - End the charging process
When the desired charge level is reached, the charging process can also be ended at the charging station, via the app or the online portal. The customer logs off again and disconnects the connection between the charging station and the vehicle. - Payment
There are three options:
The customer is directed to a mobile payment website via the QR code on the column and can pay there by debit card, credit card or PayPal. This method is called “pay as you go”.
An existing charging card from a mobility provider can also be used, provided that it is connected to Hubject. After the loading process, the customer receives a corresponding invoice from his provider and pays with the stored means of payment.
Aral fleet customers can use their Aral Fuel & Charge Card, which also offers other attractive service functions for fleet owners.
With this first step, further petrol station chains will enter the market for charging stations after the motorway service stations. The ultra-fast charging stations in particular will be in demand in the future for a much higher level of acceptance among drivers.
Addendum
Cover pictures: Press photo Aral - Moritz Briloinfo@moritzbrilo.de
Sources: Aral Germany
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