On the occasion of the National Day of Nikola Tesla and by opening the fast charging station at Brinje Rest Area, HEP marked the putting into operation of first 16 EV charging stations along the motorways. These stations have for the first time made the drive from the Slovenian and Hungarian border to the Adriatic Sea in the electric vehicles possible for electric vehicle owners, and provided the Republic of Croatia the connection to the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). HEP's 50 kW fast charging station in Brinje was installed as part of the NEXT-E project. Just as other HEP's charging stations set up along the motorways, it supports the charging of all existing and upcoming types of electric vehicles on the market. HEP's charging stations along the motorways provide the conditions for a future development of Croatian tourism facilitating an increasing number of European EV owners a comfortable and unhindered arrival to all tourist destinations in Croatia.
It is our final goal to enable a safe intercity drive by electric vehicles to Croatian citizens as well as all tourists and our guests. With that in mind and as a part of international projects, we will install a total of 57 charging stations along the Croatian motorways and other roads. Once now active projects have been completed, HEP's network will, together with already installed charging stations in Croatian towns and cities, consist of more than 100 charging stations, said Frane Barbarić, President of Management Board of Hrvatska elektroprivreda.
Out of HEP's first 16 charging stations along the motorways, 12 were installed in cooperation with Ina on rest areas Ljubeščica, Vukova Gorica, Brinje and Lepenica North, at motorway entry/exit points in Goričan and Sesvetski Kraljevac. The remaining four are in Vrbovsko, Čavle, Delnice and Fužine, in the vicinity of A6 motoway. More than 30 EV charging stations will be installed along the motorways in the direction to the seaside as well as in direction Lipovica inland on the rest areas next to Ina retail shops.
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lectric vehicle drivers can choose from a wide range of products and services in our retail shops. While waiting for their car to be filled up, drivers can choose to have a cup of coffee or buy a meal at our Fresh Corner points. Customers are our priority and we are daily dedicated to improving our products and services. The step forward in e-mobility is an opportunity for our company, said Sándor Fasimon, President of Management Board of Ina.
Charging stations along the motorways are a part of the overall development project of eMobility launched by HEP in line with the EU Directive on deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure. The Directive foresees the availability of charging stations every 50 km along the motorways until end 2020, in all agglomerations with more than 20,000 citizens, in all sea ports, airports and inland waterways ports as well as railway stations. The eMobility project is important for the achievement of national objectives of transport decarbonization as part of the implementation of the national energy and climate policy focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As such, it is a part of the renewable development scenario defined under Strategy HEP 2030.
The focus has globally shifted from the purely energy-related topics to sustainable energy. The same integration is expected in transport as well. In the last few years Croatia has proven to be a solid ground for eMobility development. Initiatives like the one today, which aim at the strengthening of infrastructure for electric vehicles, will definitely contribute to a faster development of transit sector, said Domagoj Validžić, Assistant Minister of Environment and Energy.
Investments in the installation of HEP's charging stations along the motorways are co-funded by EU as part of the EAST-E and NEXT-E projects. HEP cooperates with its partners from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Romania in creating the new network encompassing 309 charging stations, which will enable a free electric vehicle drive through six Central European countries.
During the event of the opening of charging stations along the motorway, Ognian Zlatev, Head of Representation of European Commission in Croatia said:
Projects focused on research and innovation in electric mobility are eligible for support under Horizon 2020 Programme or by the European Investment Bank. HEP has used EAST-E and NEXT-E as examples how such funds should be used. In line with the Commission recommendation, the goal is to use 60 percent of the 'Connecting Europe' facility for climate-related objectives. CEF will continue to support smart, sustainable, inclusive and safe mobility in line with the 'Europe on the Move' initiative and the European Transport Policy.
Video 'With HEP from border to the sea powered by electricity' - here.
