Prague reveals design plans for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall
The Danish studio Bjarke Ingels Group won the international architectural competition
The stations have been designed to charge cars in city parking so that the average car owner can then drive home
Yesterday, authorities in Frankfurt announced a new project to install over 280 charging stations for electric cars spread out in the city’s urban car parks. The idea behind the sustainable mobility project is to offer a re-fuelling solution for the average driving trip into Frankfurt.
The decision to expand the charging infrastructure came from the growing number of electric vehicles. City officials have said around 10% of all vehicles in Frankfurt are electric or hybrid, and the trend shows that that number is only set to grow.
All in all, the project will cost 1.4 million euros. The first step in implementing the project would be a call for tenders in the first half of this year, while the charging stations themselves will be up and running as soon as 2023.
One of the big issues with electric cars, despite their carbon efficiency, is that they take a long time to charge and have a relatively short driving range. A full battery charge could take up to seven hours, depending on the model of the car and the station itself.
Driving ranges, usually fit between 200 and 400 kilometres, with most e-vehicles being closer to the lower threshold. This is further impacted by weather, as the summer heat and winter cold can destabilise the efficiency of lithium batteries. Imagine if you forget to charge your car before your trip into the city?
Luckily, this is the exact scenario Frankfurt officials are trying to avoid. As they have explained, according to their data, the average length of stay in the parking garages in the city centre is two to three hours.
During this time, fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids can usually be recharged with enough electricity to take them home. The charging stations will be spread out in 11 garages in the city, covering a wide area. Each will have a maximum charging capacity of 22 kilowatts.
The project was developed with Mainova, a large regional energy company in Germany, supplying electricity to at least one million people, as well as gas, heat and water. According to CEO Constantin Alsheimer, the charging station expansion was thought out on a needs-based approach, while keeping usability and convenience as key factors.
The REPowerEU 200 billion-euro plan calls for a gradual reduction of Russian fuel imports
The summer ticket will be valid on local and regional trains, buses, as well as on the U-Bahn and S-Bahn
The Danish studio Bjarke Ingels Group won the international architectural competition
The city also added a new bathing area
The new Walking and Cycling Index shows that an overwhelming majority want to live in 20-minute neighbourhoods
Explore the underbelly of the city’s most iconic site in the moonlit hours
The REPowerEU 200 billion-euro plan calls for a gradual reduction of Russian fuel imports
Close engagement initiatives with the business sector and residents were key to spreading the idea across the board
The new Walking and Cycling Index shows that an overwhelming majority want to live in 20-minute neighbourhoods
The city also added a new bathing area
The installation of the sensors is part of its “Smart Museum” project
Authorities want to do away with the passive status of nature in the city
These will be spread across 11 EU countries and will serve to support the EU Missions
The European Commission has accepted to develop the idea
An interview about AYR, one of the 2021 New European Bauhaus Prize winners
An interview with Nigel Jollands and Sue Goeransson from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
An interview with the President of the City of Athens Reception & Solidarity Centre
A talk with the Mayor of Malmö on the occasion of the city’s UN Resilience Hub status