VW and Du-Power to build powerbanks for China

Volkswagen Group Components and the start-up Shanghai Du-Power New Energy Technical plan to form a joint-venture to produce flexible quick charging stations in China, also known as powerbanks.

Following the conclusion of the approval process with authorities, Volkswagen AG and Shanghai Du-Power New Energy Technical Co., Ltd. will each own 50% of the shares in the joint venture.

Series production of the flexible quick charging stations is currently scheduled to start in the second half of 2020. Next to Shanghai, VW will also start building them in Hannover, Germany, as stated previously.

With compact dimensions, the flexible quick charging station can be installed almost anywhere it’s needed. When connected to the low voltage grid, the station becomes a permanent charging point without the additional cost and effort required for a comparable fixed quick charging station, according to VW.

The built-in battery pack can store a buffer of energy meaning that it can be disconnected from the grid. This then eases the strain on the power grid, particularly at peak times. To ensure the sustainable use of valuable resources, the charging station is also designed to be able to use old batteries from electric vehicles as energy accumulators in future, VW adds.

Thanks to quick charging technology, e-vehicles can be charged with up to 150 kW. A 75kWh EV, for instance, a Volvo XC40 P8 AWD Recharge or a Tesla Model 3 Long Range, can be charged from 10 to 80% state of charge in about half an hour.

Photo credit: VW, 2020