Autel Europe and Orange Charging Unveil the First MaxiCharger DH480 in Europe at Groen Goud Biervliet

AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 8, 2025--

Autel Energy Europe, in partnership with Orange Charging, is proud to announce the installation of the first-ever MaxiCharger DH480 in Europe at the Groen Goud Biervliet. This groundbreaking project marks a major milestone for Autel and the European electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. It underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to innovation and its active role in advancing the energy transition.

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Autel's MaxiCharger DH480 powers heavy-duty EVs at Groen Goud Biervliet (Photo: Business Wire)

“We are excited to partner with Autel Energy Europe and facilitate our customer MW Solutions to be the first to install the MaxiCharger DH480 in Europe,” said Jasper Boogert, Managing Director at Orange Charging. “This installation not only strengthens our commitment to providing fast and reliable charging solutions for EV drivers, but it also sets a new benchmark for what’s possible in ultra-fast charging technology today. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Autel as we have planned more Maxicharger DH480 installations in the coming months.”

The MaxiCharger DH480 features the latest in EV charging technology, including Intelligent Matrix technology. This innovative system allows the Power Module to be flexibly configured, distributing the load across multiple modules according to specific charging demand. This design enhances the charger’s reliability and operational efficiency, ensuring continuous and optimal performance

Located in the Southern part of the Netherlands at prime location Groen Goud Biervliet, the charging station is emblematic for typical modern-day charging scenarios, where an increasing demand for accessible, high-speed EV charging solutions along major transit routes must be satisfied. As Europe accelerates its transition to electric vehicles, this installation provides a convenient solution for drivers seeking fast and reliable charging options during long-distance travel.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on January 7th, 2025, to celebrate the installation. The event was attended by Cai Ting, CEO of Autel Energy Europe, along with Orange Charging, key stakeholders, and government officials. The ceremony marks a proud moment for both companies and underscores the importance of collaboration in advancing the European charging infrastructure.

“We are truly excited to partner with Orange Charging in bringing this game-changing MaxiCharger DH480 to Europe,” said Cai Ting, CEO of Autel Energy Europe. “Orange Charging has been a fantastic partner, and we are grateful to them for being the first to try this cutting-edge product. This milestone is not only a significant achievement for Autel but also a step forward for the entire European EV ecosystem. We look forward to our continued collaboration and further opportunities to support the transition to sustainable energy.”

The MaxiCharger DH480 meets today’s expectations for all-in-one high power charging solutions and represents a significant leap forward towards offering affordable and sustainable investments for CPOs across Europe. Autel Energy remains committed to delivering reliable charging solutions that support the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles across the continent.

About Autel Energy Europe

Autel Energy Europe is a leading provider of advanced EV charging solutions. With a focus on innovation and reliability, the company offers a range of high-quality AC and DC chargers to meet the needs of both public and private charging stations across Europe. As part of the global Autel brand, Autel Energy Europe is dedicated to facilitating the shift to sustainable transportation with cutting-edge products and services.

For more information, please visit: https://autelenergy.eu/

About Orange Charging

Orange Charging is a leading provider of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, committed to making EV charging accessible and efficient for drivers across Europe. With a focus on reliability, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, Orange Charging plays a key role in the transition to electric mobility.

For more information, visit: Orange Charging Website

Ribbon-cutting for Autel's MaxiCharger DH480 with Orange Charging and Groen Goud Biervliet (Photo: Business Wire)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI informant who fabricated a story about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter accepting bribes that became central to Republicans’ impeachment effort was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison.

Alexander Smirnovpleaded guilty last month in Los Angeles federal court to tax evasion and lying to the FBI about the phony bribery scheme in what prosecutors say was an effort to influence the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Smirnov, a dual U.S. and Israeli citizen, falsely claimed to his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid then-Vice President Biden and his son $5 million each around 2015.

Smirnov's explosive claim in 2020 came after he expressed "bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, according to prosecutors. In reality, investigators found Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017 — after Biden's term as vice president.

Prosecutors noted that Smirnov's false claim “set off a firestorm in Congress” when it resurfaced years later as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden, a Democrat who defeated Republican then-President Donald Trump in 2020. The Biden administration dismissed the House impeachment effort as a “stunt.”

Before Smirnov’s arrest, Republicans had demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn’t confirm if they were true.

"In committing his crimes he betrayed the United States, a country that showed him nothing but generosity, including conferring on him the greatest honor it can bestow, citizenship," Justice Department special counsel David Weiss' team wrote in court papers. "He repaid the trust the United States placed in him to be a law-abiding naturalized citizen and, more specifically, that one of its premier law enforcement agencies placed in him to tell the truth as a confidential human source, by attempting to interfere in a Presidential election."

Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served behind bars since his arrest last February in the case accusing him of lying to the FBI. Prosecutors in November brought new tax charges alleging he concealed millions of dollars of income he earned between 2020 and 2022.

Smirnov's lawyers had sought no more than four years behind bars, noting the “substantial assistance" he provided to the U.S. government as an FBI informant for more than a decade. Smirnov's lawyers noted in court papers that he suffers from serious health issues related to his eyes and argue that a lengthy sentence would “unnecessarily prolong his suffering.”

“Mr. Smirnov has learned a very grave lesson and proffers to this Honorable Court that he will not find himself on this side of the law again,” attorneys Richard Schonfeld and David Chesnoff told the judge in court papers.

Smirnov was prosecuted by Weiss, who also brought gun and tax charges against Hunter Biden. Hunter Biden was supposed to be sentenced in December after being convicted at a trial in the gun case and pleading guilty to tax charges. But he was pardoned by his father, who said he believed “raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”

In seeking a lighter sentence, Smirnov's lawyers wrote in court papers that both Hunter Biden and President-elect Trump — who was charged in two federal cases by a different special counsel — “have walked free and clear of any meaningful punishment.”

Special counsel Jack Smith abandoned the two federal cases against Trump — accusing him of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss and hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida — after Trump's presidential victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in November.

Follow the AP's coverage of Hunter Biden at https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden.

FILE - In this courtroom sketch Defendant Alexander Smirnov speaks in Federal court in Los Angeles, Feb. 26, 2024. (William T. Robles via AP, File)