CEZ a s : ORLEN Unipetrol and ČEZ quickly expand Benzina ORLEN’s offer with electricity. The 30th fast-charging station is in Jihlava

3. 8. 2021

Environment and renewable resourcesProducts and servicesČEZ ESCOElektromobility

ORLEN Unipetrol and ČEZ quickly expand Benzina ORLEN's offer with electricity. The 30th fast-charging station is in Jihlava

The ORLEN Unipetrol Group continues expanding the offer of its Benzina ORLEN network with electricity from fast-charging stations. They can recharge e-car batteries with zero-emission electricity in tens of minutes. In addition, Benzina ORLEN offers eco-friendly energy from ČEZ green stations in ten regions throughout the Czech Republic. Last year, drivers charged up with as much energy as would enable 40 trips around the world.

Charging an e-car with zero emissions in the Benzina ORLEN network and continuing driving after a short break and some snacks at the Stop Cafe? No problem at selected Benzina ORLEN outlets all over the Czech Republic! The largest network of petrol stations in the country and a part of the refining and petrochemical group ORLEN Unipetrol keeps up with new trends in individual and mass transportation. In collaboration with the ČEZ Group, it quickly equips its sites with fast-charging stations for electric vehicles. The latest one, in Jihlava, is the 30^th ČEZ station for charging e-cars in the white-and-red network.

'At Benzina ORLEN stations, we want to offer the broadest portfolio of products and services. In addition to traditional fuels, we offer alternative fuels, LPG and CNG. And, in cooperation with external partners, we are gradually expanding our electricity offer, which currently stands at 38 locations countrywide. In total, there are 62 charging stations at our outlets where almost 100 cars can be charged at the same time. With the parent ORLEN Unipetrol Group, we are also active in the development of hydrogen electromobility. It will complement the existing battery-based electromobility by opening the first public hydrogen refuelling stations in the Czech Republic in Prague-Barrandov and Litvínov,' said Tomasz Wiatrak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group, which also includes the Benzina ORLEN network.

'The coming years in the Czech Republic will be characterised by the rapid development of electromobility. The demand of tens of thousands of new electric cars for fast charging will be covered only by building hundreds of new charging stations. As the market leader, ČEZ is not shirking its responsibility and wants to expand its existing network of 300 public charging stations to more than 800 in five years. We believe that our continued successful collaboration with Benzina ORLEN will also help us reach this objective,' said Pavel Cyrani, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors at ČEZ.

There are 30 ČEZ fast-charging stations in operation at 22 Benzina ORLEN stations across the Czech Republic. Electric-vehicle drivers use them on the D1, D2, D4, D5, D6, D8 and D11 motorways and other main throughways and in some cities. Overall last year, they stopped 13,439 times there to fill up on 224,818 kWh of eco-friendly electricity. The same volume of energy would fully charge the batteries of 6,244 middle-class electric cars or would enable one electric vehicle to go around the world 40 times. The busiest stations were in Osice on the D11 (24,519 kWh in 1,095 charging sessions), Vrchlabí (23,209 kWh in 1,285 charging sessions), and České Budějovice (20,822 kWh in 1,363 charging sessions). ORLEN Unipetrol and ČEZ began collaborating in 2014 when ČEZ installed a fast-charging station at the Benzina ORLEN station in Vrchlabí within the Vrchlabí Smart Region project.

The ABB fast-charging stations installed in the Benzina ORLEN network can charge the batteries of most types and brands of electric vehicles. Thanks to DC connectors with CHAdeMO and CCS charging standards with an output of up to 50 kW, they can do so within tens of minutes. The charging station also includes AC charging with a Mennekes standard connector that allows charging with an output of 22 kW.

The construction of the ČEZ charging station network is partially funded by two grants from the European CEF Transport programme, where ČEZ succeeded in the calls for proposals. This way, the European Commission supports the connection of Europe by building charging stations along the main TEN-T road network. Part of the network is also being built using the funds from the Operational Programme Transport and ČEZ own sources.

ORLEN Unipetrol

The ORLEN Unipetrol Group is the largest refinery and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on crude oil processing and the production, distribution and sale of vehicle fuels and petrochemical products - particularly plastics and fertilisers. In all these areas, it belongs among the critical players in the Czech and Central European markets. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group encompasses refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo, with its Mogul brand in Pardubice and Kolín, Spolana Neratovice, and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno. ORLEN Unipetrol also includes a network of Benzina ORLEN filling stations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. With 421 filling stations, Benzina ORLEN is the largest chain in the Czech Republic. Since its entry in 2019 to Slovakia, Benzina ORLEN has been one of the fastest-growing chains and currently has 20 stations in its network. ORLEN Unipetrol employs more than 4,800 people. In 2005, ORLEN Unipetrol became a member of the ORLEN Group, the largest crude oil processor in Central Europe. In addition to its business development, ORLEN Unipetrol is proud to be a socially responsible corporation. Therefore, it pays an equal amount of attention to initiatives, focusing on the cultivation and support of sustainable development, education, local communities, and the environment. More information: www.orlenunipetrol.cz and https://twitter.com/unipetrolcz.

Benzina ORLEN

Benzina ORLEN is part of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group, a member of the international ORLEN Group. It operates the largest network of filling stations in the Czech Republic. It originated in 1958, and it is a traditional yet modern brand of Czech motorists, characterised by the provision of high-quality fuels and customer services. Besides EFECTA fuels with a purifying effect, Benzina ORLEN also offers premium VERVA fuels and a broad portfolio of refreshments within its STOP CAFE concept. Benzina ORLEN issues EASY and BUSINESS fuel cards and offers two mobile apps for its customers: the Benzina loyalty app and a carwash app, Mycí digi linka. In the Czech Republic, Benzina ORLEN operates 421 stations and has a market share of 25,2%. The fact that it is highly popular with consumers is apparent from the fourth annual award as the Most Trustworthy Brand in the Czech Republic. It entered the Slovak market in 2019 by opening the first outlet in Malacky. Benzina ORLEN's Slovak network currently comprises 20 stations. More information: www.benzina.cz, www.facebook.com/Benzina.cz or https://www.instagram.com/benzinacz/

ČEZ Group

ČEZ Group has been active in the development of electric mobility since 2009. The primary activity since the very beginning was to build and operate public charging stations. Today, the focus is far broader, including serving customers from the retail segment (ČEZ Sales) as well as service for clients in the corporate, municipal, and regional sector (ČEZ ESCO). ČEZ is, for example, responsible for designing and installing turn-key charging stations, for the electrification of car fleets, charging platforms, including IT solutions, lease or sale of electric cars and wall-boxes and cables for recharging. To local governments, ČEZ offers implementation and operation of charging stations for electric buses and design of a concept of electromobility for individual towns and regions. For more, see http://www.elektromobilita.cz/cs/mapa-dobijecich-stanic.html.

ČEZ, a. s. ORLEN UNIPETROL RPA, s.r.o.

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