In lieu of Amsterdam’s target to utilize 10,000 electric vehicles by 2015, the city has awarded a contract to Dutch energy utility Essent, energy efficiency service provider RWE AG’s subsidiary, of building 125 charging stations around the metropolis.
The Netherlands’ capital city is expecting to have the first of its installations prepared by the first half of this year, in addition to the 100 charging points around its vicinity. It also plans to have as much as 750 charging stations around the area.
Essent’s chief executive Peter Terium said that the contract is vital for both RWE and Essent as it was Amsterdam’s first citywide electric mobility plan in the metropolis.
«This contract is very important for Essent and RWE. It’s the first time in the Netherlands that electric mobility will cover an entire city and become part of the scenery,» he said.
«The charging stations we are setting up in Amsterdam have been developed by RWE and have so far been installed in numerous European countries, including Germany, Poland, Hungary and Austria,” Mr. Terium added.
Amsterdam has recently been offering monetary grants to automotive makers, as it plans to make electric vehicles as the main mode of transportation by 2040. Electric vehicle owners will also receive perks, such as free charge cards and discounts on parking fees.
RWE Effizienz GmbH operates 800 charging stations in 14 countries in Europe, catering mostly to towns, municipalities, utilities, and fleet operators.
