ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS

The global market share of e-cars (purely battery-powered vehicles) has made a huge step forward in recent years. A trend that will continue exponentially, especially after the EU Parliament passed a resolution in February 2023 that from 2035 only passenger cars that are CO2 emission-free when driving should be sold. However, in order to cope with the increasing number of new registrations of e-vehicles, the charging infrastructure in Germany needs to be expanded. According to the figures of the Federal Network Agency of 1 December 2022, a total of 76,561 charging stations are registered in operation in Germany. The German government's plan is to have 1 million charging points by 2030.

But what should our cities look like in the future?

Using the usual charging points would massively change the appearance of our cities. Hermann Graser now had the idea of combining electromobility with natural stone and thus demonstrating the future-oriented characteristics of this material in a new and highly contemporary product.

With the eMiliarium the Bamberger Natursteinwerk Hermann Graser, in collaboration with the lighting and e-module manufacturer RZB and the architecture practice Simone Boldrin Architettura, has developed a charging station that combines the durability and longevity of granite with the precision of an optimised functional unit and a unique design concept.

Thus, with the Epprechtstein granite and Kösseine granite from the Fichtelgebirge a regional material is used that is particularly sustainable and that is already present in our cities. The charging stations thus blend wonderfully into the urban context, merge with the buildings and subordinate themselves to them. You get the impression that they have always been there - but at the same time they are completely new.

But there is also the aspect of the ecological footprint. If you compare the CO2 equivalent of a 175 kg natural stone station with the 10 kg housing of an aluminium charging station, the CO2 footprint is reduced to a tenth. With the ambitious goal of installing 900,000 additional charging stations by 2030, over 100,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent could be saved through the installation of natural stone charging stations alone.

Further information on our stone loading columns can be found on www.emiliarium.com.