Porsche has opened its first branded fast-charging station in the world under the Porsche Charging Lounge name.
Located outside Bingen am Rhein in southwestern Germany close to busy routes with significant traffic flow and open 24/7, the pilot station is the first of a number of fast-charging stations the company is planning to set up along Europe’s most important routes, initially in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
As with Audi Charging Hubs, Porsche’s pilot site offers six 300-kW DC fast-charging points and four 22-kW AC charging points and is said to offer a premium charging experience, comfortable ambience, as well as convenient, central billing of charging costs.
The chargers are manufactured by South Tyrolean electronic specialist Alpitronic and can supply with electricity all electric and plug-in hybrid models from Porsche. The fast-charging stations currently provide a maximum of 300 kW, but can be upgraded to deliver even higher charging speeds.
Porsche estimates that by the start of next year, 400 kW per charging should be possible. It’s also worth noting that the charging processes use power from certified renewable sources.
“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. We look forward to hearing our first feedback from customers on their experiences with this new format.”
Alexander Pollich, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche Deutschland GmbH
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The Porsche Charging Lounge in Bingen features a unique design with a slim roof that appears to float as it connects the charging points with the building. The lounge is glazed from floor to ceiling, while bright colors and light wood provide a cozy ambiance.
The pilot site 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 charging station has a digital building management that optimizes power consumption, for example by automatically dimming the lighting when there are no guests.
Besides charging points, the Porsche Charging Lounge offers visitors modern sanitary facilities in the lounge area, as well as a large selection of soft drinks and snacks. Other amenities include analog and digital media, a high-performance WiFi network, and a smart mirror that encourages drivers to do workouts or provides interactive Porsche content.
Customers can pay with debit and credit cards as well as Apple Pay or Google Pay. Central billing is handled by Porsche, with the current charging price being 33 euro cents ($0.37) per kilowatt hour – just as low as for other fast-charging stations in the Porsche network.
As you would expect, the Porsche Charging Lounges are integrated in the Porsche Charging Service and are displayed in the vehicle’s navigation system.
Unlike Audi Charging Hubs which allow access to drivers of EVs from other brands, the press release suggests that access to the Porsche Charging Lounge is exclusive to Porsche owners. Customers can enter the station using their Porsche ID, which must be linked to the car. If the number plate is stored in the Porsche ID, the barrier opens thanks to automatic number plate recognition.
Alternatively, customers can use their Porsche Charging Card or a QR code from the MyPorsche app to access both the site and the lounge.
