Volkswagen has invested in eRoaming company Hubject, joining forces with six existing shareholders including BMW and Daimler to expand a digital electric charging network.

Hubject was launched in 2013 and connects 40,000 electric car-charging points on a digital platform that can be accessed via its smartphone app. The system enables users to locate and pay for charging stations, while also giving live availability information.

Volkswagen said the move is part of its push for “digital interconnection of charging stations for electric vehicles starting in early 2017”, while also helping to expand and internationalise the Hubject brand, which is currently focused on Europe. Hubject is also owned by Bosch, EnBW, Innogy and Siemens.

"We have set our sights on becoming a globally leading provider in the field of sustainable mobility. With our investment in Hubject we are supporting the digital transformation and making an important contribution to the transition to the era of e-mobility", said Thomas Sedran, head of Group Strategy at Volkswagen AG. As part of its "Together – Strategy 2025" program, the Volkswagen Group plans to launch 30 new electric vehicles by 2025.

Thomas Daiber, CEO of Hubject, added "Charging must become more customer-friendly if electric cars are to make the breakthrough and catch on quicker. Together with our new shareholder we will be working at top speed to push forward with interconnecting the charging infrastructure."

Christian Hahn, CEO of Hubject GmbH, added: "We now have seven strong shareholders from three sectors of industry, which gives us the ideal basis for systematically pursuing our growth course in e-mobility. We are excited about this future-oriented collaboration together with the Volkswagen Group. And we remain open to welcoming further new international shareholders in the future."

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