Swiss Post and Fenaco plan nationwide fast-charging network

Just over a year ago, the postal company and the agricultural cooperative announced the establishment of a joint venture for a fast-charging network in Switzerland. The aim is to equip towns, villages and rural regions with fast-charging stations. And it remains that way: “The special feature of the PowerUp network is the close proximity of its fast charging stations to workplaces, shopping facilities or leisure activities,” it says.

At the time, however, there was still talk of 150 locations, each with a different number of charging points. The two partners did not comment on the timetable or the targeted charging capacity. The announcements on the signing of the contract also do not mention charging capacities or even the exact distribution of charging points. However, there is news about the number of locations. As mentioned, 150 locations were initially planned, but now there are a total of 300, which should offer a total of 1,500 fast charging points by 2030. These will be located at post office branches, Agrola petrol stations and Landi shops in Switzerland, among others.

“At present, there is already good coverage of fast charging stations along main arteries. The charging networks from Swiss Post and fenaco-LANDI Group will now bring charging options for electric vehicles to villages, towns and rural areas. I am delighted that PowerUp will provide a new service for the whole of Switzerland and make a significant contribution to the Confederation’s electromobility roadmap,” says Roberto Cirillo, CEO of Swiss Post. Martin Keller, CEO of Fenaco, adds: “In 2018, AGROLA opened its first fast charging station at a LANDI branch. Since then, we have continued to expand our network, enabling us to bring sustainable mobility to the countryside. Thanks to this partnership with Swiss Post, we can accelerate its expansion and make the network even more attractive. This will ensure that electromobility is appealing even to drivers without a charging option at home.”

However, the planned project will go beyond the mere development of charging infrastructure. Charging will be done with 100 per cent renewable electricity from Switzerland. “A significant portion of the power is in fact generated directly on-site by in-house solar panels, with local microgrids playing a vital role,” the companies wrote. However, they do not provide any details. In addition to the charging stations and photovoltaic systems, battery storage systems are also to be used for the excess solar energy.

However, the foundation has not yet been finalised. “Swiss Post and the fenaco association intend to found the joint venture PowerUp, with a participation of 50 percent each,” according to the same press release. The background to this is that the establishment of the joint venture still has to be approved by the competition authorities.

post.ch, fenaco.com (in German)