Alexander Junge is a member of the Executive Board of Aral AG and, as General Manager Central Europe, is responsible for the expansion and operation of the charging infrastructure in Central Europe.
| Aral AG / Alena ZielinskiAlmost five years ago, we started building the charging network of Aral pulse, our e-mobility brand. Today, we operate one of Germany’s largest high-power charging networks with more than 3,600 charging points at over 500 locations.
We focus on ultra-fast charging with outputs of up to 400 kW. Depending on the vehicle technology, electric cars can recharge for around 300 kilometers in just 10 minutes. At the end of last year, we opened our first dedicated Aral charging station in Mönchengladbach on the A61, with more charging parks to come.
We’re also expanding our truck charging network. At 27 locations today, we aim to connect the first megawatt chargers for e-trucks with an output of up to 1000 kW to the grid by the end of this year.
But the pace could be much faster. With quicker, simpler approval and grid connection processes, we could already have around 1000 more charging points on the grid. Our central demand is exemption from planning permission for transformers at charging stations in all German federal states. Transformers are necessary for the construction of ultra-fast charging stations and the freedom from planning permission for charging stations, which is actually politically desirable and enshrined in the state building regulations, is undermined in the ultra-fast sector by a planning permission requirement. We are also calling for standardized and digitalized building permit and grid connection processes, binding deadlines and forward-looking grid expansion, especially for truck charging infrastructure. What we don’t need is more bureaucracy, such as the mandatory introduction of the “Durchleitungsmodell” (allowing consumers to choose their own electricity provider) for charging infrastructure on freeways as part of the e-truck tendering process.
As a charging network operator, we have made continuous investments over the past few years. Now it’s time for clear political commitment to drive the next stage of electromobility.
