Siemens Smart Infrastructure has secured a five-year contract to provide digital infrastructure management for Aral pulse’s EV charging network across Germany. The agreement centers on implementing Electrification X, a cloud-based system that will centrally operate and monitor Aral’s ultra-fast charging stations.
Over the past four years, Siemens has already installed and activated 300 intelligent substations connected to the Electrification X platform. These digital substations, which power the charging infrastructure for both cars and trucks, deliver outputs up to 400 kilowatts, enabling compatible EVs to gain up to 300 kilometers of range in 10 minutes.
“To make charging as quick as refueling vehicles with conventional fuels, we’re investing in ultra-fast chargers with outputs of up to 400 kW,” said Alexander Junge, Aral AG Management Board member responsible for Electromobility. “But the chargers alone are not enough. Upgrades also require an efficient and reliable connection to the power grid. That’s why we’re happy to have Siemens on board as an expert in electrical infrastructure.”
The system provides real-time monitoring through a dashboard displaying safety-related messages from individual stations. Digital condition monitoring tracks energy distribution and operating data at both medium- and low-voltage levels. The platform includes cybersecurity features such as a central service cloud for updates, multi-factor authentication, and attack detection capabilities that meet NIS-2 compliance standards.
“This project is a strong example of how we can connect the real and the digital worlds,” said Stephan May, CEO of Electrification and Automation at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “The substations are the physical heart of the energy supply for Aral’s charging infrastructure, but without the connection to the digital world, each system would remain siloed.”
The collaboration continues to expand, with installation already underway for 350 additional digital substations at Aral service stations throughout Germany. The Electrification X system, part of the Siemens Xcelerator platform, is designed to manage and optimize electrification infrastructure while maintaining interoperability and cybersecurity standards.
