Porsche is planning to set up its own fast-charging stations along Europe’s most important routes, with a premium charging experience one expects of the brand. As a pilot site, the first Porsche Charging Lounge opened this week outside Bingen am Rhein. Just two minutes from motorway junction A60/A61, it offers six 300-kW DC fast-charging stations and four 22-kW AC charging points. Further Porsche Charging Lounges are currently planned for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Located close to busy routes with significant traffic flow, open 24/7, with very high charging performance, a comfortable ambience, and convenient, central billing of charging costs, the new Porsche Charging Lounges are perfectly tailored to the requirements of Porsche drivers on long journeys. Here, all electric and plug-in hybrid models from Porsche can be supplied with electricity at powerful chargers manufactured by South Tyrolean electronic specialist Alpitronic. The fast-charging stations currently provide a maximum of 300 kW but are capable of being upgraded to deliver even higher charging speeds. By the start of next year, 400 kW per charging point should be possible. The charging processes use power from certified renewable sources.
“Porsche has mapped out an ambitious path towards electrification. 2030 we want over 80 per cent of the cars that we deliver to be all-electric. This ambitious ramp-up requires a high-performance and dense fast-charging network,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “The exclusive Porsche Charging Lounges are making an important contribution to this. They are a barrier-free, sustainable and state-of-the-art addition to the IONITY network.”
The unique design of the exclusive fast-charging stations underlines their special character. The pilot site in Bingen provides a preview of how this design could look in the future. A slim roof that appears to float connects the charging points with the building. The lounge is glazed from floor to ceiling, creating a smooth transition between inside and outside. Bright colours and light wood provide an atmosphere that promotes a sense of well-being.
The first Porsche Charging Lounge in the world is heated and air-conditioned by a heat pump that operates without fossil fuels. Part of the required electricity is provided by the photovoltaic system of solar cells on the roof. The digital building management optimises power consumption, for example by automatically dimming the lighting when there are no guests.
To ensure a pleasant visit, there are modern sanitary facilities in the lounge area, as well as a large selection of soft drinks and snacks. Payments can be made with debit and credit cards as well as Apple Pay or Google Pay. Analogue and digital media and a high-performance WiFi network are also available. Workouts can be done in front of a smart mirror to keep the driver fit for the journey ahead. Interactive Porsche content can also be selected here.
The Porsche Charging Lounges are integrated in the Porsche Charging Service and are displayed in the navigation system. Central billing is handled by Porsche. Thanks to the Porsche Charging Service, the charging price of 33 cents per kilowatt hour is just as low as for other fast-charging stations in the Porsche network. A Porsche ID is required to access the charging stations and the lounge area. This ID must be linked to the car. If the number plate is stored in the Porsche ID, the barrier opens for you thanks to automatic number plate recognition. The car’s registration number can be stored conveniently in the MyPorsche app. Alternatively, the customer can use their Porsche Charging Card or a QR code from the MyPorsche app to access both the site and the lounge.
“With the Porsche Charging Lounge, we are creating another important touchpoint along the customer journey and showing how convenient charging can be for Porsche customers,” says Alexander Pollich, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche Deutschland GmbH. “We look forward to hearing our first feedback from customers on their experiences with this new format.”
