GOFAST Reaches the 100 Mark

GOFAST Niederuzwil Joins the Network as Number 100

In a rather unspectacular manner, the hundredth GOFAST fast-charging site was put into operation last week in Eastern Switzerland. What has become a routine procedure for installers is nevertheless a significant milestone in the history of the Zurich-based company. With 100 public sites, GOFAST has by far the densest fast-charging network in Switzerland. The site in Niederuzwil is part of the national partnership with ALDI SUISSE and is already the 7th of up to 150 sites that will be built in cooperation with the retailer in the coming years.

Kickoff at the Gotthard South Portal

Media interest was significantly greater than it is today when, on August 9, 2016, the first fast-charging station of a small Swiss startup was opened at the Stalvedro rest area in front of the Gotthard South Portal heading north. At that time, the enterprise still bore the somewhat more cumbersome name of GOttardo FASTcharge SA. The name was indicative, as from that moment, thanks to the fast-charging station, crossing the Alps with an electric car was no longer a problem, as reported in a regional newspaper article.

The fast-charging station was the first of its kind on the Swiss national highway network and marked a milestone for the still young electromobility. The charging technology, with a then-overwhelming power of 150 kilowatts, was a novelty and was developed by another Swiss startup, the Lucerne-based EVTEC AG. Today, the Stalvedro site, operated in collaboration with the Ticino energy supplier AET, is still part of the GOFAST fast-charging network and now has six charging points with capacities of up to 300 kilowatts.

Rapid Development of E-Mobility

In the meantime, technology, charging infrastructure, and the sales figures of electric cars have developed rapidly. Crossing the Alpine passes with battery power is now easy, charging capacities of 150 kilowatts are soon considered underpowered, and highway rest stops with a single charging station have long since gained nostalgic status. Currently, about 20 percent of newly registered vehicles in Switzerland are electric cars, and their total stock currently amounts to nearly a quarter of a million vehicles. Especially the battery technology of electric cars is constantly evolving, enabling ever greater ranges and higher charging capacities. Thanks to 800-volt systems, charging capacities of over 200 kilowatts are no longer uncommon and also pose higher demands on charging network operators. At GOFAST, devices with capacities of up to 400 kilowatts are therefore already in use.

Location, Location, Location

One of the key factors for the success of the Swiss fast-charging pioneer is undoubtedly the identification and development of locations suitable for becoming fast-charging hubs. A task that can be quite challenging in small-scale Switzerland. Besides good traffic location and an attractive surrounding offer, factors such as power supply and space conditions are also crucial. Especially concerning the size of fast-charging sites, the development of recent years shows that due to the expected increasing demand, larger sites with six or more charging points primarily make sense for customer satisfaction and economic efficiency.

From the beginning, GOFAST has relied on long-term partnerships with property owners who can benefit from the success in various ways depending on the circumstances. Besides longevity, partnerships with players who already have a network of attractive sites with synergy potential due to their business activities are particularly interesting. The winning of an ASTRA lot for 20 highway rest areas and the nationwide cooperations with McDonald's Switzerland and ALDI SUISSE have also allowed for a particular boost in building the charging network.

Doubling and Better User Experience

Even though reaching the hundredth site is celebrated as an important interim milestone at GOFAST, the expansion of the charging network is far from finished. Also thanks to national partnerships with ALDI SUISSE and McDonald's, the number of fast-charging sites will more than double in the coming years. However, the focus is not only on creating as many sites as possible but also on improving the customer experience. Especially when it comes to operation and payment, as well as the findability and integration into navigation systems, the charging infrastructure still has a lot of room for improvement. At GOFAST, in addition to location development, work is being done diligently to ensure that charging electricity will soon be as simple and seamless as refueling fossil fuels.