E-mobility: Å KODA, a single card to recharge anywhere in Europe
There’s more to electric mobility than just zero-emission cars. For ŠKODA, it also involves an ecosystem comprising a range of charging services: from the MyŠKODA Powerpass platform to the most advanced and efficient wallboxes.
Making electric mobility as simple as possible is the goal of ŠKODA, particularly when it comes to charging. To achieve this the Czech brand provides users with a wide range of options, including the cornerstone MyŠKODA Powerpass, which will be available in the coming months in the European markets with the launch of the new, fully electric ENYAQ iV SUV.
This innovative service will allow ŠKODA electric car customers to charge their cars almost anywhere within an extensive network of various operators’ charging stations without having to worry about registration or one-off payments.
Users only need one card to charge their cars at more than 143,000 charging stations right across Europe, including IONITY fast-charging stations. “The network is growing every day as new partners join up and new stations are opened,” says Barbora Kabátová, who is in charge of the development of the service.
An app to charge anywhere
The MyŠKODA Powerpass also includes an app, which is a key part of the service. The app not only lets customers order their own card and activate a contract, but it also helps them find the nearest charging station in the network and displays current charging prices in real time.
Customers only need to drive up to the charging station and use their card to charge their cars. Payments are dealt with via a monthly bill, which includes a small fee for subscribing to the service. “ŠKODA ENYAQ iV owners get the service for free for the first three years,” Kabátová adds.
Used batteries
The network that can be accessed with a MyŠKODA Powerpass card includes the charging stations that ŠKODA dealers are gradually building on their premises. These stations can make use of some of the smart new ideas that make charging easier, more effective, or cheaper, or all three at once.
An example? Public 11kW or 22 kW charging stations, currently being installed, which consist of a large battery module with a 200 kWh capacity made from used batteries – the modules require 4 battery sets from electric cars or 20 sets from plug-in hybrids. The batteries are charged at night with cheap-tariff electricity, and in the daytime they help make the network more stable as well as being able to store electricity generated from solar panels.
Kinetic Power Booster
A flywheel is another type of energy storage system. ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab is developing the solution in collaboration with Czech energy firm PRE and Israeli tech firm Chakratec. The Kinetic Power Booster is a system composed of a series of flywheels storing electrical energy in the form of mechanical energy. The flywheels can convert this energy back into electricity very quickly.
This technology makes it possible to charge electric cars twice as fast compared to the locally accessible network capacity (the service is currently being tested in the Czech Republic) and can also be used in areas where the network has insufficient capacity. When they aren’t in use, the flywheels are then “charged” again so they are ready to discharge their energy at full speed whenever a customer requires.
Three types of wallbox
To ensure customers get easy and personalised electric car charging, ŠKODA offers three types of wallbox for home charging: ŠKODA iV Charger, ŠKODA iV Charger Connect and ŠKODA iV Charger Connect+.
“The basic iV Charger cannot hook up to an app, but it is a solid solution for safe home charging, especially for individual customers with a garage,” says František Žert, an eMobility and charging infrastructure expert. “The ŠKODA iV Charger Connect comes with Wi-Fi and LAN connection and can be accessed via a dedicated app. It also has a module for a RFID card, so it can be used by multiple users. It is ideal for shared underground garages.”
Companies and dealers
The most sophisticated wallbox is the ŠKODA iV Charger Connect+, which adds an LTE module and certified electricity meter. “This wallbox can be shared by multiple users – charging data are sent to the app and users and the operator all know exactly who used how much electricity,” Žert explains. This is the ideal solution for employees with a company car they charge at home: the wallbox data can be used by the company to reimburse the charging expenses.
When the service is fully operational, ŠKODA dealers will offer specialised consultancy for home charging and support for customers installing the device. Before any installation, an electrical infrastructure check and an on-site inspection by a certified installation partner will always be carried out to determine the most appropriate installation procedure.
Source: ŠKODA