Charging electric cars currently takes longer than refueling petrol or diesel. Chargers are starting to grow in conjunction with other services so that you don’t have to just sit in the car while charging. One such place – which, of course, has its specifics – will be opened by Audi in Nuremberg.
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The charging station will serve up to six electric cars at once – Audi brands, of course – and wants to meet the “customer’s premium charging expectations”, with each customer having to spend 20-30 minutes there. The sockets are capable of very fast charging, with an output of up to 320 kW, so charging even a nearly discharged GT e-chrono should not take more than half an hour when the battery is warm.
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The idea of charging associated with services is not new, and is not even limited to charging itself. In the case of a longer route, many drivers are accustomed to taking a coffee break, a toilet or something to eat with themselves, no matter what they go.
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The only difference between a conventional and an electric car is that while we refuel a conventional car and then drive it from the stand to the parking lot before we rest for a few minutes from driving, we connect the electric car to the charger and it “refuels” with it all the time, when we drink coffee and rest from driving.
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If the charger is at a conventional gas station, which is usually open 24 hours a day with the staff, you will often get coffee and snacks there even at night. However, with the Audi charging hub, it seems that outside the time when the operator is present, customers will be dependent on vending machines. But even that is better than nothing.
Photo: Audi
In this case, the carmaker likens services such as coffee, toilets and refreshments to the airport lounge, adding the ability to browse its catalogs or configure a car on a giant screen.
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However, what is interesting about the charging hub is the method of charging. There is simply no thick cable from the coal-fired power plant, but the station is equipped with a battery storage with a capacity of 2.45 MWh. In addition, the batteries in the repository are not new, but recycled batteries from prototype electric audi.
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Of course, the storage is charged mainly from the electricity grid, but allegedly with “green” energy, and part of the energy is also supplied by solar panels on the roof, which have a maximum output of 30 kW.
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You can shorten the waiting time to charge the car, for example, by playing with the configurator of new cars.
Photo: Audi
The price for charging does not differ significantly from comparable chargers if one has a prepaid tariff for them. Anyone who has a prepaid Charging Service for their electric Audi charges for 31 cents (7.83 crowns) per kilowatt hour. The charging hub will open on December 23 this year and will be available 24 hours a day – with staff waiting at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
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Poll
How do you see the future of public charging stations?
Stations with many connections and refreshment options like this one are ideal
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Non-stop service stations should build charging stands
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All I need is a stand with a vending machine at most, and I’ll close my eyes for those few minutes
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I don’t have an electric car and I will never have one
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A total of 94 readers voted.
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