ABB-led consortium launches $10.5M project to install fast chargers along key European highways

16 December 2014

A 5-partner consortium led by ABB has launched a €8.4-million (US$10.5-million) project, co-funded 50% by the European Union, to install a corridor of high-quality fast chargers along key European motorways until the end of 2015. In addition to ABB, the consortium includes the Dutch e-mobility operator and retailer Fastned B.V.; the Danish e-mobility operator CLEVER A/S; the Swedish public utility and e-mobility operator Öresundskraft AB; and the German Testing and Certification Institute VDE Prüf-und Zertifizierungsinstitut GmbH.

The aim of the ELECTRIC project is to create an open-access fast-charging corridor situated along major motorways connecting Sweden, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands via a total of 155 chargers, with up to 30 in the Netherlands, 23 in Denmark, 35 in Sweden and 67 in Germany.

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The ELECTRIC corridor is outlined in purple (2013-EU-92043-S). Click to enlarge.

Together the partners expect that this corridor resulting from ELECTRIC will help accelerate electric vehicle uptake in the involved Member States and the focus on interoperability, sustainable infrastructure setup and network planning alongside infrastructure deployment.

The first charging stations co-funded are already in place and ready to use in Denmark — operated by CLEVER A/S and in the Netherlands by Fastned B.V. The partners expect to complete the open access fast charging corridor by the end of December 2015.

ELECTRIC is funded by the the “Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T)”. (Earlier post.) Via TEN-T the European Union contributes to the internal market in order to harmonize and better connect transport systems in Europe. The objective of the TEN-T programme is to co-fund investments in transport infrastructure in order to ameliorate the European Transport Networks. The total budget of this project amounts to about 8.4 million euros.