The Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning, and the Ministry for Education, Heritage, the Environment, Energy and Climate Change, have jointly announced the launch of electric vehicles charging stations at the Midtown Car Park.

This initiative forms part of the continued development of the government’s Sustainable Traffic, Transport and Parking Plan and is consistent with the Department of the Environment’s Thinking Green Environmental Awareness campaign.

The facility offers electrical charging at two purpose built parking bays set aside for electric vehicles. The bays are equipped with CirControl CirCarLife Recharging System Wall Box Smart units which work with a Type 2 (UNE EN 62196-6) charging socket and provide an output AC voltage 230V AC 1P+N+PE, a rated output of 7.2 kW and a rated output current of 32A. Midtown car park has additional charging stations that will be put into service as demand increases. As a promotional offer, there will be no financial charge for the electricity consumed for resident ID card holders.

The charging stations will complement the existing private sector initiatives found at sites around Gibraltar, and can now be found on Plugshare (www.plugshare.com), a downloadable comprehensive phone app that shows the location of electric vehicle charging stations around the world, making it easy for visitors with electric vehicles planning trips to Gibraltar.

The Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, The Hon Paul Balban, said:

“I am delighted to see the introduction of electric vehicles charging stations in our Car Park at Midtown. The government prides itself in making every effort to facilitate and encourage the use of more environmentally friendly powered vehicles and with this launch we are providing more opportunities for the charging of these vehicles complementing the existing private sector stock.”

The Minister for Education, Heritage, the Environment, Energy and Climate Change, The Hon Dr John Cortes, said:

“The de-carbonisation of vehicles is yet another measure being implemented by this Government to reduce transport-based emissions in Gibraltar. Transport fleets around the world are changing and we are embracing this transition by facilitating the shift towards hybrid and electric vehicles. Enhanced mobility and pollution reduction can go hand-in-hand and that is exactly what we are trying to achieve with this initiative”.