Stations plan for electric cars

TALLINN - Estonia’s larger petrol station chains are all interested in participating in the creation of a national ‘electric car charging network,’ which the state is obliged to produce under an agreement resulting from it trading excess pollution quotas, reports National Broadcasting. The network, with more than 250 charging points, should be completed by the end of next year. The Kredex foundation is coordinating efforts to develop it.

So far the procurement specifics haven’t been declared but on March 22, the Alexela petrol chain announced that it is ready to supply its petrol stations with charging stations suitable for electric cars. The nearly 250 speed chargers network will cover the main towns, highways and transport hubs. “Based on current information, we are ready to readjust our stations by the end of the year as needed,” said Alexela’s head, Ain Kuusik.

Statoil’s communications manager, Jaanus Pauts, said that their chain is interested in participating in the project, depending on procurement conditions. “Electric cars and their future have been under discussion in Statoil as one of the strategic topics before the pollution quota sales transition was revealed. It is too soon to talk about details in the current stage, but we are certainly ready to contribute to this project,” he said.

Olerex’s marketing manager, Antti Moppel, said that installation of the charging stations was discussed with the Economy Ministry already at the end of last year. “We are ready to install the charging stations,” he said.
Economy Ministry energy department head Lauri Tammiste said that analysis has been launched on how many charging points are needed. According to the initial plan, the figure is around 270.

At the beginning of March the government revealed that it will give the Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi 10 million unused pollution quota units and will get in return 500 electric cars and money to create a national electric car charging network.
Alexela has 56, Statoil 51 and Olerex 44 petrol stations in Estonia.