Retailer SPAR Austria has announced plans to expand its electric vehicle charging network in Austria in association with nine domestic electricity suppliers.
The retailer has teamed up with the Federal Association of Electric Mobility Austria (BEÖ) for the project.
BEÖ's partners for SPAR's project include energy suppliers Burgenland Energie, Energie Graz, Energie Steiermark, EVN, Innsbrucker Kommunalbetriebe (IKB), Kelag, LINZ AG, Salzburg AG, and Illwerke vkw.
By 2025, the retailer plans to add more than 200 electric vehicle charging stations to its existing network of 120 at SPAR, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR stores.
The new charging locations will take the total number of charging stations to 335.
The company plans to expand it to 535 by the end of 2028, creating what it says is 'the largest charging network at retail outlets in Austria'.
Each location will have up to six charging points with 11 to 150 kW charging power, SPAR added.
'The Future Of Mobility'
Hans K Reisch, deputy chairman of the SPAR Austria board, said, "Buying groceries and charging the car at the same time – that is the future of mobility.
"SPAR and its partner, the Federal Association of Electric Mobility Austria (BEÖ), will realise this at even more locations throughout Austria in the coming years."
Energy companies Salzburg AG, Energie Steiermark, lllwerke vkw, and IKB are already cooperating with SPAR Austria to install e-charging stations at SPAR car parks, the company added.
“By expanding this partnership, we are taking the charging infrastructure in Austria to a new level. These nine leading energy suppliers and SPAR Austria are making a significant contribution to climate protection,” said Andreas Reinhardt, chairman of the Federal Association of Electromobility Austria (BEÖ).
Currently, Austria has more than 100,000 electrical passenger cars, making the availability of a nationwide charging infrastructure crucial for future zero-emission mobility.
The country has approximately 15,000 public charging points, out of which 8,000 belong to the BEÖ network.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
