Offered by Polestar and Volvo
Free electricity for everyone: fast charging station for electric cars opened near Munich
An electric car charges at a charging station. A quick charging station in Munich offers free electricity for all drivers. (symbol photo)
© bodenseebilder.de / Imago Images
Charging at public charging stations usually costs money. In Munich, however, Volvo and Polestar are now opening a free fast charging station for electric cars. Everyone should be able to charge electricity there free of charge.
With the rise in energy prices, drivers of electric cars are also having to dig deeper into their pockets when charging up with electricity. At the “Powerstop”, an announced charging point at a service area on the A8 south of Munich, they should soon be able to get electricity for free.
Volvo and its luxury electric brand Polestar announced on Wednesday the joint opening of a quick charging station under the motto “Recharge your car, recharge yourself”. From February 10, four 150 kW fast charging stations with free electricity will be available for free use in the parking lot of the Dinzler Kaffeerösterei at the Irschenberg exit. The two companies promise “short downtimes” due to the high charging capacity. The 78 kWh batteries of the Polestar 2 or the Volvo C40 Recharge, for example, can be charged to 80 percent in less than 40 minutes at such charging stations. Whether it is green electricity remains unclear.
The concept also includes: At two business buildings there, interested parties can find out more about the electric cars of the two car manufacturers and – spontaneously or by appointment – test drive the Polestar 2 and the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric. Because: Electric cars like the Polestar 2 “have to be tried out,” says Alexander Lutz, Managing Director of Polestar Germany. A test drive is possible daily during the opening times between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Fast charging stations for electric cars at supermarkets, hardware stores and Co.
Even if drivers often have to pay for charging, the free charging offer from Volvo and Polestar is not unique. Usually it’s some kind of customer service. For example, electricity can be charged free of charge at various supermarkets, discounters and hardware stores.
There are around 400 charging stations at Aldi branches in Germany where customers can charge their electric cars with green electricity free of charge. 150 of the charging stations are fast chargers with an output of up to 150 kW. Customers can also fill up with green electricity free of charge at numerous Lidl and Kaufland branches. Lidl has over 400 AC and DC charging stations at over 3,200 branches. More than half of them have a charging capacity of 50 kW, and there are also 150 kW at individual locations. More charging stations are to follow. Kaufland currently offers free quick charging stations at around 140 locations.
The department store chain Famila offers free charging with green electricity for one hour. It has equipped a good 30 locations with at least two charging points, half of which enable fast charging. This year, charging stations are to be added at at least ten other locations. Ikea operates around 120 charging stations, each with at least two charging stations. Here, customers can charge up to 22 kW of green electricity free of charge. The furniture chain plans to further expand its charging station network.
Sources: Polestar, Auto Motor and Sport