Following positive experiences with the pilot station in the Bavarian city of Nuremberg in southern Germany, including a lounge and reservation option for Audi drivers, a further 11 stations are then to follow in major German cities by mid-2024.

Project manager Ralph Hollmig said: “The figures and the positive customer feedback show that our concept of offering a flexible and premium fast-charging infrastructure in urban areas has been a complete success.”

The Volkswagen subsidiary based in the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt has announced that it will no longer build cars with petrol or diesel engines from 2033.

However, many city dwellers cannot charge at their own wall socket or at their workplace and are dependent on public charging stations, said Audi project manager Ewald Kreml. That is why Audi is setting up its own fast-charging network for its customers.

In Nuremberg, 60% are returning users. This confirms the concept of charging close to the city centre as an alternative to a wall socket at home, said Kreml.

The station with six reservable fast-charging spaces can charge 80 cars a day; on average, 24 cars have come, and 35 customers a day have visited the 200-square-metre lounge.

A smaller station is scheduled to open in Zurich’s banking district in autumn, followed by two more in Salzburg and Berlin by the end of the year.

Audi announced three new stations in German cities for 2023. Another eight are planned for 2024 in major German cities. Locations are still being sought for this.