As of today, you can charge your electric car along the Belgian motorway in only 20 minutes. Q8 and Ionity have officially opened the very first high power charging stations along the E42/E19  in Thieu (both directions). Simultaneously 4 electrical vehicles can charge their batteries for 300 kilometers - 5 times faster than it would take at ‘regular’ charging points. By joining this project, Q8 wants to actively participate in building the infrastructure of tomorrow’s mobility.

Together, Q8 and Ionity will build in total 16 Ionity charging stations in Belgium as part of the EUROP-E project which is co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility of the European Union. The EUROP-E project, the largest EU co-funded EV charging infrastructure project to-date, will cover main routes across TEN-T Core Network in 13 EU countries. Next to the 8 stations they now opened in Thieux North and South, they will be opening 8 more along the E42 in Froyennes (both directions). Most of the current charging points only have a power of 50 kW, whereas these high power charging points offer seven times that (350 kW per charging point). This means it will only take 20 minutes to charge your car for another 300 kilometers instead of over 1,5 hours. And it can be used by all cars with a CCS-plug – the European standard.

The increasing number of people choosing to drive electrically requires a performant charging infrastructure. By co-developing the Ionity network of high power charging points alongside motorways, Q8 aims to play a key role in the development of a performant infrastructure for tomorrow’s mobility.

Fadel Al Faraj, Managing Director at Q8:

Q8 would like to evolve into a ‘mobility player’, a hub offering a broad range of mobility solutions - from petrol or diesel, to power for electric cars and CNG. Consequently, e-mobility is one of Q8’s strategic axes for the near future. As the sales of electric cars will keep increasing exponentially in the next few years, we have committed ourselves to fully invest in the electro-mobility market through investments, partnerships and acquisitions to provide the best future-proof service and convenience to our customer. We are very happy that through this partnership with Ionity, we can offer high power charging in the time it takes our customers to enjoy a coffee.

Carlo Di Antonio, Walloon Minister for the Environment

In order for the Belgian fleet of vehicles to switch over more rapidly to more environmentally-friendly models, it is absolutely vital to ensure that charging points are made more readily available

Spatial Planning, Mobility and Transport and Animal Welfare. “The better our network is equipped with high-performance charging terminals, the less distance and charging time will pose an issue for drivers when choosing and purchasing a new vehicle.”  

 Boost for international e-mobility

Marcus Groll, COO Ionity:

The Belgian stations are part of Ionity’s broad network of 400 high power charging  stations in Europe. “We are very pleased to open the first of our Belgian charging stations. Another milestone on our mission to complete 400 charging hubs in 24 European countries by 2020. Thanks to strong partners like Q8, we can provide a great network of high power chargers throughout Europe so we can offer maximum convenience to drivers of electric vehicles and give international e-mobility a real boost.

Andreas Boschen, Head of Connecting Europe Facility, Innovation and Networks Executive Agency - INEA, European Commission:

Congratulations to the EUROP-E project for opening the first high power chargers for electric vehicles in Belgium, bringing zero-emission electric road mobility throughout the EU ever closer. The EUROP-E project, which is supported with EUR 39.1 million from the Connecting Europe Facility for Transport EU programme (CEF-T), has managed to successfully mobilise private sector support, thus demonstrating a high leverage effect. The deployment of the project’s charging infrastructure in 13 EU Member states will contribute to the adoption of electric vehicles in Europe and support to the transition to sustainable transport across the EU.

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About Q8

With over 460 filling stations and fuel delivery to professional end-users and resellers, Q8 is one of the largest fuel players in the Belgian market. Specifically for the transport sector, Q8 has 40 International Diesel Services (IDS) stations in Belgium. Moreover, the business and service of Q8 goes much further than just fuels. The company is also active in the production, marketing and sales of Q8 lubricants. In retail, together with Delhaize, Q8 also has a strong network of more than 130 local "Shop and Go" convenience stores in Belgium and Luxembourg, and thanks to a partnership with Panos, Q8 offers fresh sandwiches and pastries in more than 90 stations. Together with partner Ionity, Q8 is also taking steps in the E-Mobility market with a network of (fast) chargers at the stations. It is Q8's ambition to focus even more on broad mobility services. Q8 therefore continues to innovate and invest in future oriented opportunities that make every customer journey more sustainable. In 2019, Q8 was elected Best Fuel Brand in Belgium. www.Q8.be

About Ionity

IONITY is based in Munich and was founded in 2017; it is a joint venture of the BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and the Volkswagen Group including Audi and Porsche. IONITY’s mission is to build an extensive and reliable High-Power Charging network (HPC) for electric vehicles in Europe to make comfortable long-distance travel a reality. IONITY has been able to secure attractive national and international locations through its strong cooperation partners. IONITY is an internationally registered trademark. www.ionity.eu