Bulgaria receives millions from the EU for new charging stations

Bulgaria is among the active participants in the latest round of the European mechanism for financing alternative fuels. The country has received approval for two large-scale projects that will expand the charging infrastructure along key transport routes in the country. This is clear from the official announcement by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). It states that the European Union is allocating over €600 million to 70 projects aimed at accelerating the transition to zero-emission mobility.

The first initiative with Bulgarian participation is Pan European Network – Electric, led by the Austrian Eldrive Holding GmbH, part of the Bulgarian Eldrive group. It envisages the construction of a high-capacity network of charging stations in Bulgaria and Romania, covering 25 locations along the TEN-T corridors. The project plans to install 88 charging points with a capacity of over 150 kW for light vehicles and 87 stations with a capacity of over 350 kW for heavy goods vehicles. The eligible costs recognized under the European Commission's scheme amount to nearly €7.86 million, but it is not specified how much each country will receive.

The second project, X-Pand COEN, involves Bulgaria, Croatia, and Poland, and is rolling out a significantly larger network of charging locations in our country. The plans envisage 23 points in Bulgaria, equipped with 182 chargers for light vehicles and another 32 for heavy goods vehicles. The project is being implemented by Electrip Mobility Service DOO, part of the international Electrip Global group. The eligible costs here are around €7.38 million, with the aim of creating an easily accessible and reliable charging infrastructure along major transport routes in the country and in neighboring countries.

These two initiatives put Bulgaria on the map of European investments in alternative fuels at a time when the EU is accelerating the implementation of environmental standards and regulations for transport.

Translated with DeepL.