Dispenser of the future

"The success factor and backbone for the shift toward electromobility is the charging infrastructure. With the 'Audi charging hub', we not only want to offer a solution for future peak demand, but also make charging a premium experience," explains Ralph Hollmig, project manager for the 'Audi charging hub'.

In this case, the dispenser of the future is a cube, the so-called "Power cube". The small powerhouse has a charging station as battery storage with 525 kWh storage capacity. The "Power cube" works according to the logic of a rain barrel: little energy from the public grid trickles in at the top and a lot of power is drawn out at the bottom for the vehicles.

For the pilot project in Nuremberg, a "high-power charging hub" was created with six "power cubes" including a reservation function. The "Audi charging hub" is an open charging network, which means that anyone who wants to can charge. The requirements for the local power grid are low, as a sustainable buffer storage with 2nd-life batteries is also used. Experience at Audi shows that 92% of the batteries can be put to a second use before they are recycled in a sustainable manner.

A 250-square-meter lounge area was placed on top of the "Audi charging hub" in a modular design. While the car is connected to the mains at the bottom, the own battery can be charged in the upper High Premium area. This double added value is also emphasized by NürnbergMesse CEOs Peter Ottmann and Dr. Roland Fleck: "The additional electric fast-charging points with a charging capacity of up to 300 kW will also benefit NürnbergMesse customers, who can use Audi's offer in addition to the 12 electric charging points already available and relax in the lounge area at the same time."

Last but not least, the "Audi charging hub" is also a good example of fast and uncomplicated action. The project was planned and contractually agreed between the partners Audi, NürnbergMesse and the City of Nuremberg within a short period of time and approved by the building authorities at the end of August. The ground-breaking ceremony took place at the beginning of October and the first electric vehicles should be able to drive up for charging as early as December. Lord Mayor Marcus König is delighted: "Such a 'High Power Charging Hub' on one of the city's important traffic axes is an important building block for the expansion of the charging infrastructure in Nuremberg. In future mobility - especially urban mobility - electric vehicles play an essential role."