Central Europe Readies for Coming Wave of Electric Vehicles as GreenWay Network Surpasses 100 Charging Stations
As EU level debate about emissions standards and quotas rages, largest electric vehicle charging network in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) continues to grow to meet demand
Bratislava – The GreenWay electric vehicle charging network now has 113 public charging stations in operation. These chargers create a comprehensive network enabling electric travel from Bratislava to the northern tip of Poland and providing charging options catering to a range of EV users and charging needs.
More than half of public DC fast chargers in Slovakia are GreenWay stations. In Poland, where GreenWay has been adding stations over the course of the past year, they are even more. GreenWay is now the dominant player in providing electric vehicle charging services in CEE.
“We strongly support the current debate at the EU level about tightening emission standards and mandating a quota of EVs,” said Peter Badik, co-founder and managing partner of GreenWay. “Some are questioning whether CEE can handle the EVs if they come — and this announcement proves that we can. GreenWay has built the core infrastructure providing comprehensive, trans-national coverage in Slovakia and Poland, as well as the backend IT and support services drivers need. We have many more plans. We will continue to add more chargers and constantly be innovating to make EV driving as seamless and comfortable as possible and provide excellent customer service.“
A variety of types of charging options and speeds is essential to provide services for a range of EV drivers. While many people charge at home or work, people also need to be able to charge on highways or major roads while they are en route to their destination. This roadside charging provides ‘range extension’ to enable drivers to go farther than the distance of one battery charge. Chargers in shopping malls provide people the chance to eat or shop, thus using their time productively. Slow charging options at workplaces, hotels and restaurants allow people to charge over longer periods of time and for a considerably lower cost. Thus far, the GreenWay network has consisted mainly of fast chargers, but uran areas and spaces in between are now being filled in with slower – less expensive – chargers.
What sets the GreenWay network apart from other charging stations in the region is that it is an interlinked network of chargers, not individual, isolated charging stations. There is a central backend system tracking energy consumption and usage, providing billing services to users and charging station hosts, allowing for out-of network users to charge at the stations, and with a 24/7 helpline service which users can call. These comprehensive services are designed to provide for the best possible customer service and experience.
GreenWay has established many institutional partnerships to achieve this milestone. For example, in Slovakia, GreenWay has a partnership with Tesco to be the exclusive provider of charging services at Tesco properties. In Poland, GreenWay has a partnership with IKEA to install and operate charging infrastructure there. GreenWay also works with Daimler, BMW, Nissan, Intel, Aupark, Intel, Auchan, MAX, and more.
In addition to the core network, we pay close attention to R&D, in order to pilot and deploy cutting edge technologies. In January 2018 GreenWay successfully launched the first ever GridBooster battery assisted charging station in Avion shopping center in Bratislava. The 2nd GridBooster system is about to be launched in Trenčín, and another will be coming online in Poland early 2019. GridBooster is novel technology because the battery pack connected to the charging stations allows for on-site energy generation (such as from solar panels) on-site storage and on-demand usage (vehicles can recharge from the battery rather than the electrical grid) thus providing flexibility to the energy grid. Some of these systems are even using recycled “second-life” batteries that are no longer of automotive quality, but still operational.
The GreenWay network is proudly co-financed by the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency of the European Commission.
For further information, contact:
Aaron Fishbone
Communications Director, GreenWay Infrastructure
M: (+421) 911 371 827