Filenews 12 July 2023 - by Angelos Nicolaou
At least every 60 km on the main road network of the Republic, included in the Trans-European Transport Network map, by 2026 electric car charging points with a minimum capacity of 400 kW must be installed.
The whole project is included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and is funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) of the European Union and has as its main objective the promotion of electromobility through the development of an extensive network of electric vehicle recharging points.
By the end of the year, the Republic is expected to proceed with a tender for the installation of accessible fast charging points in public buildings. Based on the programming, they will be located in Paphos, Polis, Larnaka, Choirokoitia, Limassol, Kyperounda, Famagusta and Nicosia. A program is underway to install 1000 public electric vehicle recharging points by 2026.
In Cyprus, road transport is responsible for approximately 50% of greenhouse gas emissions in relation to activities not included in the Emissions Trading System.
It is noted that Cyprus' national target is for 2030% of new vehicle registrations to be electric by 25, with this percentage reaching 100% by 2035. Following yesterday's decision by the European Parliament to adopt new rules for more alternative fuel stations for vehicles with simple and easy recharging, but also cleaner fuels in maritime transport, Member States have the obligation to install charging and refuelling points at regular intervals on major motorways: every 60 km for electric charging and every 200 km for hydrogen refuelling.
The new rules adopted by Parliament are part of the Fit for 55 package. The package aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 55 compared to 2030 levels and decarbonise transport.
According to the Department of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Cyprus may submit to the Commission a reasoned request for authorisation to apply lower requirements regarding the total power output level for heavy duty electric vehicles or for the application of a longer maximum distance, up to 100 km, between such recharging station sites, or both.
MEPs successfully negotiated that by 2026 electric car charging points with a minimum capacity of 400 kW per at least 60 km should be installed. along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) core network, with network capacity increasing to 600 kW by 2028.
For trucks and buses, charging stations should be provided every 120 km. These stations should be installed on half of the EU's main roads by 2028 and with a capacity of 1400 kW to 2800 kW, depending on the route concerned. EU countries must ensure that hydrogen refuelling stations are installed along the TEN-T core network every 2031 km by 200.
At least one refuelling station accessible to the public should be installed in each urban node. Infrastructure must be designed to be capable of delivering one tonne of hydrogen per day at a pressure of 700 bar.
Users of alternatively fuelled vehicles should be able to pay easily at recharging points (with payment cards or contactless devices and without having to have a subscription), while the price of these "fuels" should be displayed per kilowatt hour, per kilogram or per minute/session.
