Switzerland to build 100 new electric vehicle charging stations

GENEVA: The Swiss government said Friday it would allow five companies to build new electric vehicle charging stations at 100 rest areas along the country’s motorways.

The first 25 such stations should be built within the next 12 months with the remainder to follow within a decade, the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) said in a statement.

“To encourage this growth, since early 2018, the Parliament has created the necessary framework for the establishment of an efficient network of charging stations along the national roads,” said FEDRO.

The move to boost the nationwide network of charging stations is part of an attempt by the Swiss government to expand the number of electric cars on the country’s roads to meet environmental targets.

Switzerland’s then-Energy Minister, Doris Leuthard in May 2018, met with representatives of the electricity and mobility industry to discuss how the country could increase the number of new electric vehicles on Swiss roads.

The government hopes to increase the proportion of new electric vehicle registration from around 2.7 percent now to 15 percent by 2022 and to 20 percent by 2050, Swissinfo, the website of the national broadcaster reported.

It is estimated that the Swiss authorities will finance an initial investment of half a million Swiss francs (500,000 U.S. dollars) for each installation.

The companies chosen will then have to pay back the amount once the stations are operational, according to officials quoted by Swissinfo.

As Switzerland is a relatively small country, with a motorway network of 1,850 kilometers, electrification of the motor network is said to be more comfortable than in big countries.

Source: xinhuanet