LOCATION(S), 13th May 2024– The CROSS-E project has been established to enable path towards future zero-emission travel through the realization of high-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging points along key routes and ports across Europe. The four companies selected to carry out the project, Allego, Petrol Group, GreenWay, and Emobility Solutions, will install 911 high-powered charging points (150 kW and 350 kW) at 239 locations tailored to both light and heavy-duty electric vehicles (LDV & HDV). The project has been selected to implement 130 million euros investments in high power charging infrastructure with a total grant of 34.45 million euros from the European Union and is scheduled to be finalized by October 2026.
The primary goals of CROSS-E include:
· Strengthening cross-border connectivity between Cohesion countries and Western Europe.
· Establishing initial corridors for electric trucks along key logistics routes.
· Reducing wait times at locations projected to experience high seasonal utilization.
The CROSS-E project comprises two intertwined initiatives: CROSS-E General and Cross-E Cohesion. These projects will receive co-funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU funding programme supporting European transport infrastructure. It is, therefore, the aim to complement the existing infrastructure with enhanced cross-border connections between neighbouring countries.
The four entities chosen for CROSS-E will operate across eight EU Member States: Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands. Collectively, they will install 838 recharging points for LDVs (150 – 350 kW) and 73 recharging points for HDVs (350 kW).
CROSS-E installations will adhere strictly to the European Commission’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), guaranteeing open access to the recharging infrastructure. All locations will be accessible to the public 24/7 and will support roaming and open-access payment methods including NFC, credit cards, and app-based payments. The deployment of charging points for specifically Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) in selected markets will also offer valuable insights ahead of broader installations across all project partners and countries.
Richard Ferrer, European Commission, Head of the Alternative Fuels Sector at CINEA, the European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency declared: “With this large-scale ambitious project, the European Union is supporting an important new phase to decarbonise mobility in Europe, in particular through the deployment of an electric recharging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles, right at the moment the first electric trucks are delivered on the market. Together with the 4 involved private frontrunners, we stay fully committed to achieve Green Deal objectives for the benefit of EU citizens and economic operators!”
Mathieu Bonnet, Chief Executive Officer of Allego, said: “The demand for charging is growing as EVs take more of the market share in Europe. Charging infrastructure is pivotal in enabling a seamless transition to a fully electric fleet. By collaborating with Emobility Solutions, GreenWay, and Petrol who share our vision of a future characterized by emission-free mobility, we are poised to bring this shared vision to fruition.”
Janos Ungar, Chief Executive Officer of Emobility Solutions, said: “We believe that regional CEF projects like CROSS-E are the foundations towards a green, sustainable and reliable zero emission road transportation. Emobility Solutions has a decade of experience in European electric mobility infrastructure development, and it is an honour being able to represent Hungary in this cooperation, as we know that still a lot of work must be done to increase the number of high-power chargers along the highways, while maximising the utilization of the renewable energy. With the CROSS-E project our aim is to showcase best practices for developing high power charging HUBs in a smart way, with minimum dependence on the grid by utilizing local PV production and energy storage solutions.”
Peter Badík, Chief Executive Officer of GreenWay, said: “We are very pleased to be a member of the CROSS-E consortium and continue to deploy high powered charging infrastructure and high-quality recharging services for Europe’s EV drivers, across Poland, Slovakia and especially in our newest market, Croatia. This infrastructure, and these services, are particularly needed in Croatia and under this project GreenWay will be deploying at least 16 ultra-fast charging hubs equipped with at least 64 ultra-fast chargers, all fully integrated into the GW public recharging network and designed to support smooth, reliable, well supported travel for EV drivers.”[AF1]
Marko Ninčević, Member of the Management Board of Petrol responsible for Mobility: “Our commitment to energy transition drives us to seek innovative solutions that will shape the future of mobility. We believe that sustainable mobility is key to the green transition and improving the quality of life in our society. We are aware that this is just one of the pathways to climate neutrality. Achieving these goals requires combining forces and collaborating with various stakeholders. We are proud to have become a significant partner in the European project CROSS-E, within which we will, among other things, install the first high power charging stations for EV and trucks in Slovenia and Croatia. By expanding the Petrol´s charging network and improving our services, we enhance the customer experience and further position Petrol Group as the most comprehensive provider of mobility solutions in the region.”
Projects like these play a vital role in realizing the EU’s ambitious objective of reducing CO2 emissions with legislation set to take effect in 2035 mandating the sale of only electric vehicles. By implementing high-powered electric vehicle charging infrastructure, CROSS-E can expedite the adoption of electric vehicles, thereby contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions from traditional fossil fuel vehicles. This concerted effort not only fosters environmental stewardship but also promotes cleaner air, healthier communities, and a more sustainable future for generations to come.
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The CROSS-E project has been chosen by the European Commission as part of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) within the framework of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU’s funding program supporting European transport infrastructure. More information on AFIF and the funded projects can be found here: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/transport-infrastructure-over-eur-424-million-eu-funding-boost-zero-emission-mobility-2024-04-10_en
