Electromobility: These companies rely on their own charging stations

Electromobility
These companies rely on their own charging stations

You can now also charge your electric car in McDonald's parking lots.

© Viktoriia Hnatiuk / Shutterstock.com

The expansion of the charging network for e-cars is in full swing. Now McDonald's has also announced that it will install charging stations across the board.

For many people who are interested in buying an electric car, a network of charging stations that is too thin is still a decisive criterion for not relying on a Stromer. But is this point of criticism still relevant? There is now an increasingly dense network of charging stations: Many supraregional companies such as supermarkets and hardware stores offer their customers quick charging stations in the parking lots.

The latest member of the group: the fast food chain McDonald's, which wants to install charging facilities across the board with immediate effect. But McDonald's is not alone in its campaign. An overview of the largest chains and companies in Germany that are currently helping to shape the close-knit charging network.

Restaurants

Together with the electric power provider EWE Go, McDonald's restaurants will be able to charge their vehicles with 100 percent green electricity at more than 1,000 Drive locations throughout Germany by 2025.

By the end of 2020 there should be fast charging stations with a charging capacity of 50 to 150 kW at over 40 locations. 200 more will follow in 2021, and 250 new charging stations annually from 2022. "Ultimately, electric mobility can only prevail if there is a nationwide supply of charging options," says Holger Beeck, CEO of McDonald's Germany.

Discount stores

The large discounters Lidl and Aldi are also currently pounding charging stations in the parking lots of their branches in many places. As the industry magazine CHIP reports, Lidl currently has almost 300 such columns, and 130 more are to be added by February 2021 alone. Aldi Süd is also starting to expand with its "Aldi electrifies" campaign and has already equipped numerous locations near the autobahn and in cities. Aldi also wants to intensify this in the future.

Supermarkets

The supermarket chain Kaufland is one of the pioneers in the field of parking lot electrification and put the 100th free fast charging station into operation at the beginning of 2019. Another 100 are to follow by the end of 2020, which will be distributed to around 660 locations across Germany. Competitor Rewe is also building charging stations for its customers in the parking lots of its new so-called Green Buildings. There are now several hundred such charging stations in Germany. Edeka is also continuously expanding its network.

Hardware stores

Large DIY chains such as Hagebau and Hornbach are also increasingly relying on customers with electric cars. The Hagebaumarkt started equipping its branches with fast charging stations in August 2019. Since then, the expansion has progressed rapidly. Hornbach also announced that it would equip its garden centers and hardware stores throughout Germany with up to 100 quick charging stations. This should allow a range of up to 100 kilometers to be charged in 20 minutes.

Ikea, MediaMarkt and Co.

Of course, this is just the beginning at the moment and more and more companies are equipping their shops with appropriate charging stations. These include furniture giant Ikea, electronics chains MediaMarkt, Saturn and Euronics, and hotel chains such as Ibis and Marriott. In a few years it will probably be perceived as completely normal for large parking lots to be equipped with appropriate charging devices.

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