The plans of the former German government read quite ambitious: In the summer of 2021, the federal government passed a whole series of laws to improve the charging infrastructure for electric cars. Local energy suppliers have a special role to play here: in many places, they are to ensure that the charging point networks are also expanded across the country. But how is the development going in the city centers - and in the countryside?
In the greater Ulm area, there are already hundreds of charging points, of which around 160 are operated by Stadtwerke Ulm/Neu-Ulm (SWU). Most of them are located directly in the city. For years, SWU was considered a pioneer in electromobility, but the market for charging e-cars is now increasingly competitive, with more and more companies planning new charging points. Another issue: only 8 of SWU's 160 charging points are fast charging points. "The fast charging points are more likely to be found on the highways," says Klaus Eder.
But SWU has big plans: "In the future, we want to be able to offer a free charging point for every e-car owner at any time. But the network expansion should also develop in line with demand, given the approximately 920 registered e-cars in Ulm (Sept. 2021). Klaus Eder expects the number of charging stations in Ulm and Neu-Ulm to double in about 4 years. SWU supports the expansion of rural charging stations with its own wallbox systems, which customers can install at home.
