REWE, METRO, BAUHAUS & Co: Retailers rely on SMATRICS charging solutions
With a professionally installed and operated charging infrastructure from SMATRICS, REWE Group Austria, METRO, BAUHAUS, IKEA and MPREIS are becoming important "local suppliers of e-mobility".
End customers benefit from the high-speed charging network, and retail companies increase their attractiveness as a location and their competitiveness. When it comes to switching their own company fleets to e-mobility, more and more retail companies are also relying on future-proof charging solutions from SMATRICS.
Benefits for retailers and end customers
The parking lots of large retail companies are extremely attractive locations for e-mobile charging stations – this is how we create a win-win-win situation," says Managing Director Hauke Hinrichs of SMATRICS and SMATRICS EnBW, the joint venture between SMATRICS and EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, which operates Austria's largest fast charging network.
"On the one hand, end customers benefit from more charging options and can charge their vehicles while shopping, especially in urban areas, without having to worry about finding a charging point at home. On the other hand, it benefits the image of the retail companies by enabling charging while shopping," Hinrichs continues.
The topic of electric mobility is also being strongly promoted at the political level – on the one hand through subsidies and tax incentives from the federal government, and on the other hand through the need for action due to EU requirements (EPBD) for limiting emissions. For example, retailers with larger parking lots will have to provide their customers with at least one charging point in the future.
Charging network for end customers is being expanded
By the end of the year, REWE Group Austria wants to offer e-mobile charging with 100 percent renewable energy at over 100 locations. "E-mobility is the future. We are pleased to be able to further expand our charging offer for our customers with SMATRICS EnBW. This not only makes us fit for the future, but also makes an important contribution to achieving climate targets," says Robert Nagele, BILLA Board Member for Real Estate.
SMATRICS EnBW is currently investing in further location partnerships. This means that retail chains can offer their customers HPC (High Power Charging) charging points during their shopping trips without incurring any costs for the location partners. Among other things, BAUHAUS is currently planning to set up SMATRICS EnBW charging stations, with the pilot project with up to 16 HPC charging points being the new location to be built in St. Pölten.
"The further expansion of e-mobility is an important step towards sustainability for BAUHAUS and we are pleased to have found a competent partner with many years of experience in SMATRICS EnBW. This ensures that as many of our customers as possible can take advantage of this offer," says the management of BAUHAUS Austria.
Making the company fleet fit for the future
The retail chains are not only offering e-mobile charging options to end customers: the REWE Group Austria headquarters in Wiener Neudorf, for example, has set up over 70 charging points for its own company fleet with SMATRICS.
METRO will also offer charging points for its own fleet at most of its locations and is planning to further expand its charging infrastructure for trucks. "We hope that more large retail companies will recognize that e-mobility is not only an absolute necessity in terms of sustainability, but also a great opportunity for retailers to increasingly implement environmental awareness in their companies," says Xavier Plotitza, CEO of METRO Austria.
In addition to REWE Group Austria, METRO and BAUHAUS, numerous other location partners are also relying on SMATRICS EnBW to set up public fast charging infrastructure and on SMATRICS charging solutions for their own fleets.