Major carmakers across Europe have joined forces to create a supercharging highway for electric vehicles (EVs).

IONITY, a joint venture between BMW, Daimler, Ford and the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche, aim to develop and implement a High-Power Charging (HPC) network to make long distance journeys easier for EV drivers.

The companies have set a target to launch around 400 HPC stations by 2020, with 20 stations to be opened to the public this year, located on major roads in Germany, Norway and Austria.

Through 2018, the network will expand to more than 100 stations, each enabling multiple customers driving different manufacturer cars, with a capacity of up to 350kW per charging point.

Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche said: “The launch of IONITY represents a breakthrough in the move towards a comprehensive rapid charging infrastructure in Europe.

“Creating a functioning charging infrastructure is necessary for ensuring electromobility is accepted and further expanded. With the rapid charging network from IONITY, we are ensuring that our customers can use electric cars on long journeys without compromising on convenience.”