Fast charge

With the pending release of Audi’s first completely electric vehicle – the Audi e-tron – a whole new chapter will begin in the company’s proud history. Indeed, Audi will go from being a classic automotive manufacturer to a premium mobility systems supplier. 

As part of this, the Audi e-tron Charging Service will be part of a broad-based offering for charging and provides Europe-wide access to the public charging infrastructure. The card brings together over 72,000 charging points operated by 220 providers, for unlimited, trouble-free electric mobility. 

Obviously one of the key factors in the success of the e-tron, was ensuring that it had the range to make it a practical vehicle. With a range of more than 400km, that area is more than taken care of, but it was also important for Audi to ensure customers had a broad choice of charging options, whether at home or out and about. 

Drivers who charge their e-tron overnight and set off the next morning with a full battery don’t have to worry about stopping at a charging station during their normal daily drive. For longer distances, Audi offers a smart solution in the shape of the e-tron Charging Service, which handles the charging process swiftly and simply.

“The e-tron Charging Service builds confidence in our electric initiative. Following on from the Audi e-tron, in 2019 the Audi e-tron Sportback will be the second electric car to go on sale, followed in 2020 by the Audie-tron GT from Audi Sport. We already have the right answers to many of the questions and concerns regarding charging,” says Peter Mertens, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Technical Development. 

Through its new charging service, Audi provides all e-tron customers and also owners of plug-in models with access to around 80 percent of all public charging stations in Europe. Billing is handled centrally under a single contract, with standard, clear pricing models.

The service could not be easier to use: Whether AC or DC, 11kW or 150kW – just one card, the e-tron Charging Service Card, is all customers need to start the charging process. Many charging stations can also be activated by scanning a QR code with a smartphone. Customers complete a one-time registration for the service in the myAudi portal and take out an individual charging contract. All charging processes are automatically billed together at the end of the month. Customers can use the myAudi portal to view their current charging history at any time, review their current bills and manage their contract. 

“With the e-tron Charging Service, we are actually offering a premium charging service ahead of the Audi e-tron’s market introduction. The product is tailored to the needs of our customers. We will be steadily expanding the service hand in hand with our strong partner Digital Charging Solutions,” says Fermin Soneira, Head of Product Marketing at Audi.

Longer journeys with stops for charging are just as straightforward as charging itself. They can be planned either ahead of time in the myAudi app or directly in the car. In both cases the customer is shown the appropriate route with the required charging points. The navigation system considers not only the battery’s charge but also the traffic situation, and includes the required charging time in its arrival time calculation. The system includes the locations throughout Europe of DC charging stations, at which the Audi e-tron can be charged with direct current, as well as most AC stations for charging with alternating current. 

For longer trips – driving to a holiday destination, for instance – a quick-charging facility is essential and for this reason the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche, the BMW Group, Daimler AG and the Ford Motor Company have founded the joint venture Ionity. The Audi e-tron is the first series-production model capable of charging with up to 150kW at Ionity’s high-output DC charging stations. This means it is all set for the next long-distance stretch of a journey in approximately half an hour. The e-tron Charging Service covers Ionity’s quick-charging network, which is undergoing gradual expansion and will comprise 400 stations by 2020 and will supply cars mainly with eco-electricity.

Audi also offers various solutions for charging in the garage at home: The standard compact mobile charging system can be used with either a 230 volt household outlet or a 400 volt three-phase outlet. The optional connect charging system doubles the charging power to as much as 22kW. The second on-board charger required for this will be available as an option at some point in 2019.

In conjunction with a compatible home energy management system, it offers intelligent functions such as charging when electricity is less expensive or with on-site solar power if there is a photovoltaic system on the roof.