Stellantis, one of the world’s leading automakers with 14 motor brands including Vauxhall, Peugeot, Fiat, Citroen and Jeep, one of the world’s leading automaker, and TheF Charging, an Italian electric car charging company, have announced a partnership agreement to create a European public charging network.
This network will be accessible to all electric vehicles, with exclusive conditions for Stellantis customers. The objective of the collaboration is to create a vast European network. Autonomy and public charging are key enablers for the transition to sustainable mobility and the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).
This is in line with the ‘Fit for 55’ package presented by the European Commission on 14 July 2021. The objectives of the package include 100 percent zero-emissions new cars from 2035 and the installation of public charging points at regular intervals.
To create a vast European network to promote electric and electrified mobility, and to optimise the user experience, the two companies have therefore identified over 1,000 owners or operators of locations across the whole of Europe.
Facilities will be built to fulfil customers’ main charging requirements in city centres, at public institutions including hospitals and schools, at transport hubs including airports, railway stations, ports, at leisure amenities including sports and wellness centres, hotels, restaurants and at retail outlets. There will be a total of over 15,000 locations in Europe with two million parking spaces.
These locations will form part of the charging network and will be jointly developed and promoted by Stellantis, who recently announced it’s joining forces with LG Energy Solution for lithium-ion battery production for electric cars in North America, and TheF Charging until at least 2025.
The network kick-off is expected in 2021, with the installation of the first quick charging stations in Italy, then the network will expand to the whole of Europe. Under the agreement, Stellantis and TheF Charging will also be pursuing the goal of creating a charging network that offers carbon-free energy, with the ambition to extend this approach to the entire value chain.
The partnerships with TheF Charging forms part of the Stellantis group’s broader strategy announced on EV Day on 8 July. The strategy is aimed at promoting and simplifying e-mobility anywhere in the world, by means of a full range of charging solutions for individual, corporate and fleet clients to manage electrified vehicles.
Specifically, the agreement between Stellantis and TheF Charging is designed to complement the Atlante project. This came from the partnership between Stellantis and NHOA energy, intended as a commitment to create the largest fast charging network in Southern Europe.
Stellantis and TheF Charging will actively involve the customers, owners and operators of the locations selected, to define tailor-made solutions for each type of location and clientele.
The goal is to create a widespread ecosystem at a European level, to guarantee constant customer satisfaction, based on a straightforward and intuitive charging experience. This is good news for European electric car drivers, especially those driving Stellantis brand vehicles.
Anne-Lise Richard, Stellantis head of the e-mobility global business unit, said “Stellantis is working on creating strategic collaborations to disseminate e-mobility, thus leveraging not only the internal skills but also the partners’ specialisations, in order to accelerate the introduction to the market of new technologies in step with the times.
“The partnership between Stellantis and TheF Charging fits into this framework with a clear objective to guarantee the presence of charge points in strategic European locations, and to offer the best possible charging experience over time.”
Federico Fea, TheF Charging CEO, said: “The partnership with Stellantis gives further impulse to the creation of our charging network around Europe.
“This technological and commercial collaboration will generate benefits along the entire value chain from our customers, whether or not they drive a Stellantis vehicle they will be able to take advantage of innovative services in line with the individual’s specific requirements, to the owners of the locations that will host our network.
“The latter will be able to count on a greater influx of high-value customers and on an outstanding partnership based on transparency, personalised services and collaboration.”
