New UK sites confirmed for ultra rapid Ionity network
Ionity has announced the next phase of its roll-out in the UK, with the ultra-rapid network set to open eight new locations later this year, starting with the first station in an Extra services, at the company's new M1 Leeds Skelton Lake area.
There is already an open site at Maidstone, and plans for Gretna have been in the pipeline for a while now. These new sites will bring the number of UK locations to 10, with a total of 40 targeted by the end of 2020.
The network will install up to six 350 kW CCS ultra-rapid chargers at each site initially, and Ionity is currently installing 400 stations across Europe, providing up to 2,400 charge points by the end of 2020.
After Leeds Skelton Lake, the other Extra umbrella-branded motorway service areas are at Cobham on the M25, Cambridge Services on the A14/M11, M40 Beaconsfield, M5 Cullompton, M65 Blackburn, A1M at Baldock, and A1M at Peterborough.
There are no EVs currently available that can charge at up to 350 kW, so the sites are future-proof for some time to come. The first confirmed EV due in the UK with 350 kW ultra-rapid charging capability is the Porsche Taycan, expected next year.
Until then, the units will be able to charge the likes of the Audi e-tron (150 kW), Mercedes Benz EQC (110 kW), and Jaguar I-Pace plus Hyundai & Kia EVs (100 kW) at their maximum rate. A number of new EVs due in the next 12 months all feature at least 100 kW CCS DC charging capabilities.
Other companies that Ionity is partnering with include Shell and the MFG (Motor Fuels Group) in the UK. The network is a joint venture between BMW, Daimler, Ford, and the VW Group.
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Updated: June 28, 2019 Author: Chris Lilly (Zap-Map)