Volkswagen Plans to ‘Electrify America' with $2 Billion Investment in the Largest U.S. EV Charging Network
【Summary】After pleading guilty to tampering with software in order to bypass stringent emissions requirements, German automaker Volkswagen created Electrify America as catalyst to promote the adoption of electric vehicles. Now Electrify has announced plans to construct the largest EV charging network in the U.S.
Volkswagen's global reputation, and also that of luxury line Audi, was severely damaged by the 'dieselgate' emissions scandal which the company plead guilty to. Volkswagen admitted it tampered with diesel vehicle software in order to bypass stringent emissions requirements. As retribution for its crimes, VW created Electrify America as catalyst to promote the adoption of electric vehicles.
Now VW says it's ready to fulfill its mission and help clean up the company's tarnished image. Electrify America has announced plans to construct the largest EV charging network in the U.S., eventually exceeding the size of Telsa's planned Supercharger network.
$2 Billion Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure
Over a ten year period ending in 2027, Electrify America will invest $2 billion in zero emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure and education programs in the United States. Electrify will build a nationwide network of workplace, community, and highway chargers that are conveniently located and reliable. The EV charging network will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving without the range anxiety associated with trying to find a EV charger along the route.
Of this $2 billion, $1.2 billion will be invested nationwide, while the remaining $800 million will be invested in California, the state with the largest single EV market in the world. This investment represents the largest of its kind ever made.
Electrify America's planned EV charging network
First Chargers Open Near Washington D.C.
Last month, Electrify America unveiled its first working charging stations in Washington, D.C. and nearby Maryland and Virginia. The 50-kilowatt dual-standard stations, which can provide about 100 miles of EV driving range with a 30-minute charge. By September, these will be joined by 50 new and upgraded fast chargers at "premier retail properties" in 10 major metro markets, including Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Portland.
Upgradable Chargers
One important feature of the charging network is that it will be future proof. It is expected that EV charging requirements will be higher as the vehicle battery technology advances. The Electrify network will be upgradeable to meet these higher charging rates.
While most of the fast chargers will be capable of charging to the current CHAdeMO standard (e.g. Nissan Leaf and the Kia Soul EV) or to the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard that's becoming more widely used, many of the fast chargers will be capable of even quicker 150-kW CCS use, which many future models, such as the Audi e-tron and the Jaguar I-Pace use.
CHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick EV charging method delivering up to 62.5 kW by 500 V, 125 amp direct current with a special electrical connector. It is proposed as a global industry standard supported by major auto manufacturers in the United States and Europe.
Easy Payment Via Smartphones
Electrify America is turning to the San Francisco-based charging-technology company Greenlots to help manage the massive charging network. Greenlots has a app-based dashboard to allow monitoring of charger health, use data, and maintenance needs. Once the Electrify America nationwide network starts expanding, highway stations will be located no more than 120 miles apart.
The Greenlots app-based platform should make it easier for EV drivers to find a nearby charger and make payments either with their smartphone or "through vehicle authentication"— taking advantage of the unique vehicle-ID capability that's built into the CCS standard used by most electric vehicles.
Although the organization is still working on its installation plan, Electrify is aiming to get the majority of the chargers in place by June 2019. Over a total of 10 years, Electrify America needs to invest $2 billion nationally, including $800 million in California, on infrastructure and awareness. However, there will be much more progress to come. These initial plans make up just 25 percent ($500 million) of the $2 billion VW has allocated to the project.
-
Volvo’s Brand Polestar Confirms That the Polestar 6 Electric Roadster Will Enter Production and Launch in 2026
-
BorgWarner to Supply its Integrated Drive Module to Hyundai for a New EV That Will Enter Production in 2024
-
Amazon Customers in Texas and California Will Begin Receiving Packages via Prime Air Drones Later This Year
-
AI-Powered Computer Vision Perception Developer StradVision Closes on $88 Million Series C Funding Round
-
Ford Raises the Prices of the F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup Due to Rising Raw Material Costs
-
Mercedes-Benz is Partnering with Game Engine Developer Unity Technologies to Create Immersive, 3D Infotainment Screens and Displays for its Future Vehicles
-
Chipmaker AMD to Collaborate with ECARX on a Digital Cockpit, In-Vehicle Computing Platform for Next-Gen EVs
-
Tesla Rival XPeng and Alibaba Cloud Set Up China’s Largest Cloud-Based Computing Center to Train Machine Learning Models for Autonomous Driving
- BMW Unveils the Seventh Generation of its Flagship 7-Series Sedan, Including the First-Ever All-Electric Version
- Facing Rising Production Costs, Automakers Ford, GM, Stellantis and Toyota Urge Congress to Lift the Cap on the $7,500 EV Tax Credit
- Rivian to Install Electric Vehicle Chargers in Michigan State Parks as Part of a New Partnership
- Valeo Signs Major Deal with BMW to Supply Advanced Driver Assist Hardware for the Automaker's Forthcoming 'Neue Klasse' EV Platform
- NHTSA Upgrades Tesla's Autopilot Investigation to 'Engineering Analysis'
- Volkswagen Group of America President and CEO is Appointed to Lead the Automaker's New Electric Off-Road Truck Division ‘Scout’
- The New Lexus RZ 450e is Toyota’s Answer to the Tesla Model Y and Raises the Bar for Battery-Powered SUVs
- New Senate Deal Would Expand EV Tax Credits
- EV Startup Fisker Announces ‘Fisker Finance’ a Digital Financing Platform for Purchasing the Electric Ocean SUV
- BMW to Test a New Battery in the iX Electric SUV Developed By Michigan Startup Our Next Energy Inc. That Can Deliver 600 Miles of Range