VW and BMW partnering up to build electric vehicle charging stations

Volkswagen and BMW announced that they are partnering up to develop 100 electric vehicle charging stations along busy roads on the West and East Coasts.

The two automotive giants are teaming up with ChargePoint (the largest electric vehicle charging network) to create the stations. ChargePoint has an existing network of over 20,000 charging spots in North America. The stations can be accessed by anyone with a ChargePoint of ChargeNow Card.

Development has already started on the West Coast. The first location expected to open will be in San Diego County.

Robert Healey, Head of EV Infrastructure at BMW of North America, said in a statement:

“A robust network of conveniently located [direct current] Fast charging stations will go a long way toward increasing electric vehicle adoption and making electric vehicle ownership even more enjoyable. The express charging corridors are another important step in the development of the U.S. e-mobility infrastructure that makes longer distance travel a real option for consumers, particularly along the most heavily trafficked portions of both coasts.”

The first stage of the project involves the two companies building 100 direct current fast charging stations by the end of the year. The charge stations will be located along Interstate 95 on the East Coast from Boston to Washington, D.C. and on the West Coast in Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. They will be spaced no more than 50 miles apart.

These stations will be built at convenient locations, such as restaurants, rest stops, and shopping centers.

Each station will include chargers that either operate at 50 kW (capable of restoring 80 percent of the battery charge for an i3 in 20 minutes) or at 24 kW (which would take about 10 minutes longer to recharge to the same level).

“All car companies and charging companies came to the same conclusion a long time ago, that this is a critical piece for the adoption of electric cars,” said Pasquale Romano, ChargePoint’s CEO.