Porsche's Charging Lounge Gives EV Drivers Access To First-Class Treatment While They Wait

As a maker of luxury electric and plug-in hybrid cars, Porsche's charging experience must be a cut above the rest. That's why the Zuffenhausen-based brand is working on an elite fast-charging station network called Porsche Charging Lounges, with the first pilot site opening just outside Bingen am Rhein, Germany.

Conveniently situated just two minutes from the A60/A61 motorway junction, the facility currently provides customers with six 300 kW DC fast-charging stations and four 22 kW AC charging points. 400 kW charging is expected next year. But what else can you expect once you've swished up in your Taycan and plugged it in?

The luxurious environment is equipped with modern sanitary facilities and a selection of snacks and drinks to keep your own batteries topped up. If you want to catch up on some emails, there's high-speed WiFi too. A selection of digital and physical media (presumably TV and magazines) can also keep you occupied while you wait.

But that's not all. The Porsche Charging Lounge even boasts a workout station in front of a smart mirror. In keeping with the environmental theme, the building is heated and cooled by a heat pump that runs without assistance from fossil fuels. This is achieved, in part, by utilizing solar panels on the roof.

Power is conserved with innovative digital management; the building automatically dims the interior lighting when no guests are present, for example.

Porsche Charging Lounges form part of the automaker's Charging Service and will appear on the vehicle's navigation system. To make things more convenient (and affordable), Porsche handles the billing, priced at 33 cents (in Euros, presumably) per kilowatt.

To access the charging stations and lounge, your Porsche ID must be linked to your vehicle. By storing your license plate in the MyPorsche app, the barrier can automatically recognize your vehicle and grant you access to the facility.

Porsche has paid attention to the aesthetics of the building, too. With floor-to-ceiling glass and a slim "floating" roof connecting the charging points to the building, the automaker previews the future of luxury EV charging. Inside, lovely colors and light wood fixtures are said to promote a "sense of well-being."

While Porsche's charging infrastructure can't rival the expansive Tesla Supercharger network, the automaker is working hard to accommodate its customers in several ways. Destination Charging is a fine example of this. Currently, there are more than 5,000 charging points scattered across 86 countries, all situated at luxury destinations that are popular with Porsche drivers. Examples include country clubs, five-star hotels, and other similar locations.

Additional Porsche Charging Lounges are expected to pop up in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.