Jolt and Aecom plan fast-charging expansion in major cities

As part of the agreement, Jolt will manufacture the charging stations and operate the network, while Aecom will develop and execute an international rollout plan that includes program management, site development, device deployment, commissioning, and on-site service. Jolt plans to install up to 15,000 charging devices in 250 urban centers by 2025, distributed equally between Europe and North America.

The focus is on JOLT's ultra-fast, flexible Merlin charger, which can be used in almost any environment. Merlin was specifically developed in Germany for urban charging situations where the existing power grid makes the provision of DC fast charging stations extremely difficult. Maurice Neligan, CEO of Jolt, explains:

“We are excited that Aecom brings its enormous technical know-how and experience to our mission and has an impressive track record of delivering complex international projects on time."

Both companies will jointly develop a deployment roadmap aimed at penetrating e-mobility in various urban markets, as well as site availability and local commercial and municipal support. Jeff Woodward, Global Market Sector Leader - Next Generation Energy at Aecom, said:

"As a leading consultant to our clients in developing new strategies to address their ESG priorities, we deliver services and innovative solutions to enable the energy transition around the globe. The agreement with Jolt combines our global program management capabilities with local market knowledge to efficiently and effectively deploy JOLT's urban fast charging solutions with less impact on local power grids."

Woodward believes that the success of e-mobility "will largely depend on the availability of convenient and accessible fast charging stations."

What does that mean?

Fast charging is also gaining importance in urban areas, as more and more vehicles are occupying standard AC chargers for hours and/or nights — which is sometimes too long.