Overview

• Autobahn GmbH has inaugurated eight fast-charging connectors at the Helderloh rest area on the A3 near Rees, North Rhine-Westphalia, operational as of noon today.
• The Helderloh site is the first of seven new unstaffed charging parks in the Rhineland, with 34 connectors set to be installed within the next year.
• Each connector provides up to 400 kW, enabling a mid-size electric vehicle to gain 300–500 km of range in just ten minutes, even with dual-plug usage ensuring at least 200 kW per vehicle.
• Nationwide, Autobahn GmbH plans to establish 200 charging parks with approximately 1,000 connectors by 2026, aiming for a long-term goal of 4,000 sites.
• ADAC highlights Germany's need to improve its highway charging infrastructure compared to neighboring countries like France, where larger charging parks are more common.