The EU Directive 2014/94 / UE from the European Parliament and of the Council, from 22 of October of 2014, relating to the implementation of the infrastructure for alternative fuels, defines a common framework of measures for the implementation of the infrastructure for alternative fuels in the European Union, in order to minimize oil dependence and mitigate the environmental impact of transport. That includes charging point networks standardized with non-discriminatory access of electric vehicles (EV). The current lack of interoperability of the charging infrastructure is the main barrier for the development of the electric vehicle (EV) market.
The general objective of the Action is to foster the use of EV in all of Europe, guaranteeing the accessibility of EVs from and to the Iberian Peninsula through a cross-border framework totally interoperable, thus contributing significantly for a European strategy of implementing alternative fuels.
This Action is implemented in the central road network in Portugal and along the Central Corridor of the Atlantic Network. It is articulated with the Action that shall implement EV charging points in Spain along the Atlantic and Mediterranean Corridor. In a coherent and collaborative approach, it is aimed to overcome the fragmentation of the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles provoked by the lack of charging points in the main corridors linking Spain and Portugal and both with France throughout the Iberian Peninsula.
To fulfil the Action’s general objective, there exist three specific objectives:
- Increase the geographic coverage of the fast charging infrastructures in Portugal, guaranteeing the interconnection between the main urban areas along the central road network and with Central Europe along the Central Atlantic Network corridor. This objective shall be reached by means of a pilot implementation of 18 fast charging points. The chargers are located along the central road network or in the vicinity, as well as on the main junctions.
- The second objective is to guarantee the interoperability at a national, cross-border and EU level, eliminating public access barriers to fast charging points.
- The third objective is to establish an exhaustive knowledge base for a widespread and significant use of electric vehicles, based on solid guidelines for the sustainable growth of the infrastructure and the attractiveness of electric mobile services for operators and suppliers of the services.
