Volkswagen Group Components and the start-up Shanghai DU-POWER New Energy Technical Co., Ltd. intend to jointly produce the flexible quick charging station in China. A corresponding agreement was signed by representatives of both companies in Suzhou, China. It is planned to start series production of the flexible quick charging station in the second half of 2020. Production with a local partner is an essential step in the rapidly growing market for electric vehicles.
“A comprehensive charging infrastructure is the key to the success of electric vehicles. The planned joint venture with DU-POWER is therefore an important milestone on the path to electromobility, which we will continue to pursue consistently. The innovative concept of our flexible quick charging station offers great potential in China, not least because of the rapid growth of electromobility, ”says Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkwagen Group Components.
“The electrification of the global automotive industry is a mega trend. As an ambitious high-tech company with competent technical development, we will work with Volkswagen to create a solid foundation to support the success of electric vehicles. The partnership to set up a joint venture in China enables us to work together in a technically intensive manner for flexible, reliable and efficient solutions for the charging infrastructure, ”says Yong Kang, CEO of Shanghai DU-POWER New Energy Technical Co., Ltd ..
Volkswagen AG and Shanghai DU-POWER New Energy Technical Co., Ltd. will ultimately hold 50% of the shares in the joint venture after completion of the required regulatory approval process, including merger control. The new company will be located in Suzhou Wuzhong Economic & Technological Development Zone, near Shanghai, China.
In addition, as already announced, the flexible quick charging station will also be manufactured at the Hanover location in the future. Production is scheduled to start this year.
This is the flexible quick charging station
With its compact dimensions, the flexible quick charging station can be set up almost anywhere where there is a need or there is no charging infrastructure. When connected to the low-voltage network, it becomes a fixed charging point without the hassle of a comparable permanently installed quick charging station. The built-in battery pack enables decoupling of the network by buffering the energy and thus relieving the strain on the power grid, especially at peak times. If regeneratively generated electricity is fed into the charging station and temporarily stored, it enables CO 2-neutral mobility. For the sustainable use of valuable resources, the column is also designed so that old batteries from electric cars can be used as energy storage in the future. Thanks to fast charging technology, e-cars can be charged with up to 150 kW.
