“When talking about the close of 2023, I feel a bit like in a casino. I don’t know if I’ll end the year winning, but I do know that I’m placing a lot of chips, and statistically, I know I will win,” expresses Allard Sellmeijer, country manager of IONITY.
The annual results of the CPOs today do not depend on a specific factor, but there are many that influence the numbers.
The company’s strategy in Spain is not immune to these circumstances, making it challenging to predict how many stations will be in place at the end of a particular year.
In this context, he states: “For us, it is very important to close this 2023 with more than 35 stations.”
The Spanish reality makes all of this pending on bureaucratic results: whether permits are approved or not.
“As we all want to have things done before the end of the year, but we understand that both public services and the attention of distributors are overloaded, and that makes the processes slower,” the executive notes.
Currently, IONITY has 34 operational stations, with the latest being a standout in the Valencian Community.
In November, the new charging station was inaugurated, ranking as the most powerful in the province of Alicante due to the high number of high-power chargers.
It stands out for its location with direct access to the AP-7, a point that provides infrastructure to the Mediterranean corridor between Alicante and Cartagena (Murcia), the so-called Costa Blanca, in an area that attracts a large number of national and international tourists.
This charging station is part of IONITY’s expansion plan underway in Spain, especially in the Mediterranean coastal area due to its strategic location but currently lacking coverage.
Ionity’s new “large” station for Spain
Ionity continues to have a strong presence in the country, as evidenced by the new agreements about to be finalized.
“We are working to coordinate the installation of a new large station in Catalonia,” the executive reveals to Mobility Portal España.
The company has an established business model where the design of its stations is divided into three types: small, medium, and large.
The smaller ones, commonly seen in the country, have between three and six chargers, all with up to 350 kilowatts of power.
Meanwhile, the larger ones, which could materialize in the short or medium term, have around 24 chargers.
It is also worth noting that they aim to increase the number of IONITY stations from 30 to 50 across the country, including cities like Madrid and Barcelona.
Furthermore, they aspire to “equip existing ones with more ultra-fast chargers.”
Germany, France, and Norway are IONITY’s most important markets, with around 60% of all HPC stations of the operator located in these three countries.
The “A, B, C” of the user experience
In the words of Allard Sellmeijer, the company’s first shareholders are electric car manufacturers, so compatibility is an assured factor in the network.
Thus, the company constantly invests in innovation, achieving a “match” between its chargers and the vehicles approaching to charge.
The result? An ideal experience for users.
The incorporation of new solutions that facilitate the experience is not excluded from their agenda; for example, the “plug&charge” service is already available on their chargers.
But it doesn’t stop there.
“We aim for our stations to be an oasis for their users,” the executive comments in dialogue with this medium.
In each of their spaces, they provide a complete experience where each person can connect their car, enjoy a coffee, work, and spend their time effectively while completing the autonomy of their vehicle.
