Pfalzwerke & REWE: 85 fast chargers at 76 supermarkets
Pfalzwerke and REWE Südwest currently operate 85 fast charging stations at 76 supermarkets in the southwest region, 68 of which use HPC technology. A new addition is a charging facility in Eppelheim featuring two 400-kW and two 200-kW charging points.
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Pfalzwerke and REWE Südwest continue to expand their joint fast charging network at supermarkets. According to the energy provider, the network now includes 85 fast charging stations across 76 locations. The most recent addition is a charging facility in Eppelheim, Baden-Württemberg, with four charging points and a charging capacity of up to 400 kW. Additional locations are already in planning or under construction.
Operational at southwestern supermarkets since 2018
The partnership between the two companies dates back to 2018. At that time, Pfalzwerke put the first fast charger in operation at a REWE store in Hagenbach. Since then, the energy provider has been installing and operating charging stations in the parking lots of REWE Südwest stores. Today, the network spans Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, and Saarland.
The concept relies on so-called destination charging: the car is charged while the driver is shopping. Alexander Häge, head of E-Mobility at Pfalzwerken, sees shopping as an ideal opportunity since people already spend time there. The usage rate of the charging stations confirms this approach. Oliver Behrens, head of full-range expansion at REWE Südwest, points out that customers increasingly expect charging facilities as part of a convenient shopping experience, allowing stores to offer an additional service.
As proof of usage, the partners cite a driving distance of over two million kilometers per month, which is made possible by the electricity charged at their stations. The communication does not explain how this figure was determined. Assuming an average consumption of around 18 kWh per 100 kilometers, this would correspond to approximately 360 MWh of energy per month, or roughly 4.2 MWh per station.
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Modernization of existing locations
In addition to building new stations, Pfalzwerke focuses on upgrading existing charging parks, according to their own statements. Over the past twelve months, around 30 locations have been optimized, including about 17 at REWE stores. The charging capacity has been increased, and the stations are designed to be more visible, easier to find, and simpler to use.
The company cites the location at the REWE Center in Heppenheim as an example. There, energy output increased by more than 250 percent after modernization. Absolute figures for the period before and after the renovation were not provided.
Of the 85 fast charging stations, 68 are now high-power chargers. Many locations that were originally equipped with 50 kW have been upgraded to 150, 200, or 300 kW in recent years. The announcement does not specify the manufacturer of the charging stations. The partners also refer to the EHI whitepaper “Electromobility in Retail 2026”: according to it, by 2031 around 87 percent of all newly planned charging points in retail should fall into the HPC category. The same study states that 93 percent of surveyed retail companies cite customer retention as the most common reason for installing charging facilities.
Eppelheim: Four Charging Stations with Up to 400 kW
The new charging park in Eppelheim near Heidelberg is connected to the medium-voltage grid. It is the fifth joint location between the two partners equipped with its own medium-voltage connection. Four charging stations are available: two provide up to 400 kW, while the other two offer up to 200 kW. The announcement does not specify how many charging columns have been installed there.
Additional Projects in Planning
Expansion plans continue. Locations in Aalen, Ulm (Römerstraße), Obrigheim, Vaihingen, Stühlingen, Dietenheim, and Hechingen are currently in planning or under construction. The site in Aalen is part of Deutschlandnetz, the nationwide fast-charging network. Meanwhile, the partners aim to continue modernizing older charging parks.
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