The expansion of public and private charging infrastructure continues to intensify in Germany and Europe. This is why E.ON invests heavily in electromobility solutions. In this context, the company inaugurated a new state-of-the-art testing and innovation center for charging technologies and sustainable energy solutions.

In the new headquarters in Essen, E.ON tests and researches charging solutions for electric vehicles and their intelligent integration into the energy ecosystem. On an area of approximately 10,000 square meters, more than 25 stations and digital test environments are available for testing vehicles, charging stations, wallboxes and accessories. The test laboratory also has five special climate chambers. These allow E.ON engineers to simulate all possible temperature conditions, from freezing to extreme heat. For example, the charging mode of electric cars can be tested at temperatures between minus 40 and plus 50 degrees Celsius. This means that beneficiaries, such as for example car manufacturers, do not have to carry out expensive and time-consuming tests in real situations. In addition to research and development, E.ON also uses the test center to train its customers and partners in installation and maintenance.

“In fact, to implement and achieve the goals of the energy and transport transition, we need the active participation of the entire urban society,” said Thomas Kufen, the mayor of Essen. “A successful and long-term process can only be achieved through innovative projects and networking between various players in our city. Therefore, I am very excited to be able to open the E.ON Test Lab. The continued development of electric mobility is a key element of the energy transition and another important step towards limiting climate change and less dependence on fossil fuels. E.ON is taking this step. As mayor, I am very grateful for this initiative.”

E.ON pursues a European-wide growth strategy for the business related to electromobility and continues to focus on the expansion of the fast charging infrastructure. The company plans to build at least 1,000 new ultra-fast charging stations per year in its European markets. In Germany, E.ON will build around 140 new charging locations with more than 1,200 charging points for the federally subsidized German network (“Deutschlandnetz”), becoming one of the largest operators of the fast charging network nationally. This is in addition to the charging infrastructure that E.ON is building for its customers across Europe. In 2022 alone, E.ON sold more than 20,000 charging points to private customers and companies in Europe.