Fortum Charge & Drive and Allego are starting a pan European project of interoperable charging network in metropolitan areas and along highways, based on High Power Charging architecture and smart e-charging hubs. The planned charging network will facilitate metropolitan areas in 20 countries until 2025.
The project named MEGA-E is selected and advised for co-financing by the European Union. The plan covers 322 Ultra-fast chargers and 27 smart charging hubs throughout 20 European countries. Through the joint project Allego would continue to develop charging network in Central Europe and Fortum in the Nordic region.
Roll-out is planned to start after financial closing which is expected in the first half of 2018. Allego and Fortum welcome additional partners to take part in this project. The project starts in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and United Kingdom.
“We believe in an open infrastructure approach. This means that it is intended to welcome every citizen and different car models at our chargers. The idea is therefore also to combine multiple charging solutions to meet different needs and speeds. The MEGA-E charging network will be an important milestone for all EV-drivers and commuters in Europe,” says Rami Syväri, VP Fortum Charge & Drive.
“Around 70% of traffic in Europe takes place in urban areas, where the CO2 impact is the highest. With the charging network of MEGA-E we facilitate several forms of e-mobility and support emission free travelling not only within, but also from one metropole area to another. Unique is the creating of so called ‘e-charging hubs’ in which we combine multiple charging solutions on the same location to charge electric vehicles. The e-charging hubs would therefore have an optimal impact and effectiveness for both the energy and mobility system”, says Anja van Niersen, CEO of Allego.
Fortum Charge & Drive and Allego are the first pan European movers to provide an integrated approach to connect metropolitan areas with a consistent charging network. The MEGA-E supports EU-wide goals to promote low-emission mobility and better quality of life for its citizens. The MEGA-E project builds upon the vision developed by the EU in 2009 when the Innovation cluster in the TEN-T/CEF program was developed. The project is among the first to implement this at a pan European scale. Further details about locations and location partners will be given at a later stage.
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