As a result of this initiative, Romania and Bulgaria will be connected through an infrastructure of 50kW fast-charging points located conveniently in the OMV branded filling stations. Eldrive will be the installer and operator of the charging points. The first two stations of this project were already installed in Bulgaria, in Daskalovo (Struma Highway) and Golyamokonarsko road (near Plovdiv), and have welcomed their first clients.
The new charging stations network will enable drivers to charge up to 80% of the electric vehicle battery in approximately 40 minutes, for a charging cycle.
Three years ago, OMV Petrom was the first energy company in Romania to install, as part of a pilot project, a fastcharging point for electric vehicles at an OMV branded filling station.
“We believe that the future of mobility will entail a mix of fuels, conventional and alternative, that are both environmentally and economically sustainable. Regarding alternative solutions, for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles, on short distance transport, electric cars can be a choice. For heavy-duty applications and long-distance transport, we consider as potential solutions CNG and LNG, due to a higher energy efficiency and lower emissions. We are pleased to offer our customers the opportunity to quickly charge electric vehicles while receiving other services offered in our filling stations”, said Radu Caprau, member of OMV Petrom Executive Board responsible for Downstream Oil.
“This partnership is a crucial step for the development of our charging network, as well as for the electric mobility in the region. The new charging stations will allow the owners of electric vehicles to travel without worries in Bulgaria, Romania and between the two countries. We are very proud that Eldrive is not only the largest EV charging network in the region, but one of the largest networks in SEE as well. The partnership with OMV Petrom is a big recognition for us and we very much look forward to executing the project”, said Stefan Spassov, CEO of Eldrive.
OMV Petrom is present on the fuel distribution market in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria and Serbia, operating a network of 800 filling stations under OMV and Petrom brands.
At the end of 2019, Romania had approximately 400 charging stations for electric cars, while the number of new registered electric and hybrid vehicles in the first four months of 2020 accounted for 2.75% of the total new registered vehicles.
The Eldrive charging network has more than 210 charging points in Bulgaria and Romania. The network operates via the smartphone app Eldrive, in which users can see real-time information about the location, type, price, status of the chosen station and make the payment.