Ionity will also be deploying Alpitronic charging stations in the future. The fast-charging network announced that the first Alpitronic chargers would be installed at Ionity locations before the end of the year.
Ionity announced the news on LinkedIn without giving any details about the number and locations of the stations. The HPC joint venture between Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche is thus expanding its supplier base to accelerate its network expansion. So far, Ionity has mainly relied on hardware from Tritium and ABB.
“To accelerate further growth, Ionity will collaborate with Alpitronic, well-known for reliable and efficient fast-charging solutions, such as their state-of-the-art Hypercharger HYC400”, the post reads. While Ionity does not explicitly confirm it, it at least suggests that Ionity will also use the HYC400.
Alpitronic has made a name for itself in the industry with its Hypercharger HYC150 and HYC300 HPC. The products are considered reliable, and in addition, they do not require an external control cabinet, just a transformer station for connection to the power grid. That simplifies civil engineering work, thus reducing installation costs. Large operators such as EnBW and Aral Pulse were early adopters of hyperchargers on a large scale. Others, such as Fastned and Allego, have since expanded their portfolios to include the fast-chargers from Austria.
Alpitronic first announced the HYC400 mentioned by Ionity with a peak power of 400 kW in May 2022, and the new top product has been officially on the market since this April. With the charging station, it is less about the peak power and more about the shared power. It still provides 200 kW, even when both charging points are occupied.
That charging power can be shared is normal for many electric car drivers. Still, for Ionity, it would mean a departure from its previous strategy: The provider so far claimed that there is no “power sharing” and that the specified charging capacity (of 350 kW) is available at every charging point at all times. It is possible, but not confirmed, that Ionity will order its hyperchargers with one CCS charging cable only. In that case, it would not have to concern itself with power sharing.
Keyword: Ionity will also be using Alpitronic hyperchargers in future