eCLIQ locking system secures new charging network for electric cars from Comfort Charge

Comfort Charge opted for the IKON-brand eCLIQ electronic locking system, which has already proven its worth with the parent company Deutsche Telekom. The modern locking system offers contemporary, location-independent and mobile management with full flexibility for the special requirements of key management of the innovative quick charging stations with many service technicians and different locations.

Comfort Charge is a Bonn-based Deutsche Telekom subsidiary which operates charging stations for electric vehicles throughout Germany. Parts of the existing telecommunications infrastructure are being upgraded for the establishment and expansion of this network of public charging points. Electric vehicles can be conveniently charged with electricity at these charging stations using charge cards supplied by partner e-mobility providers (EMPs) or using conventional cashless payment methods. Thanks to the highly innovative technology used, it takes a mere ten minutes to charge vehicles with enough electricity to travel up to 100 km. The company thus offers one of the fastest urban charging options currently available throughout Germany.

Flexible and straightforward

eCLIQ, the purely electronic system of the CLIQ^®family, combines very high electronic and mechanical security in one locking solution and at the same time offers high protection against tampering and intelligent attacks. The effort required for installation is minimal, installation is completely wireless and without structural changes. The power supply is provided by a standard battery in the key, which supplies the cylinder with power on contact.

As an eCLIQ system can also be fully scalable with up to 50,000 cylinders and can be conveniently managed anywhere, the system is ideal for the current project. Robert Miehle-Huang, Engineer, Technics & ICT at Comfort Charge: “We were looking for a locking system that we could put into operation easily. That’s why we chose eCLIQ, the ideal solution for us with its fast, easy parametrisation.”

In the future, changed access authorisations for service technicians at the respective charging stations will be easily and conveniently defined with eCLIQ by assigning corresponding access rights. Lost keys can be deactivated at short notice and reprogrammed if necessary. Authorisations with time and room restrictions are also possible. For instance, technicians can be issued a personalised authorisation for a specific task on a specific charging station in the nationwide network, or cleaners can be granted access at specific times.

Robust and durable

For the safety of charging stations that are located in public spaces and therefore also exposed to a wide variety of weather conditions, it was also important that the locking solution offers not only a compact design but also durable and secure components. eCLIQ locking cylinders are certified in accordance with the latest VdS and DIN standards and are maintenance-free for up to 200,000 cycles. The eCLIQ keys are very robust, have a waterproof housing and are therefore particularly well suited to demanding environmental conditions.