Motor Oil, nrg to create national charging network for electric cars

In order to achieve vertical integration but also take advantage of the large network of petrol stations that it controls throughout Greece with the AVIN and Shell brands, Motor Oil is making a dynamic entry through nrg into the electric market by creating a charging network of 1,000 points by end of 2022 and 2,000 points nationwide over a period of five years.

The goal is to connect its entire network and take advantage of the fact that the group produces energy itself - especially when the factory in Komotini will be completed - having nrg as the spearhead in retail. The aim of the company is to become the largest and fastest charger of electric cars in Greece, covering all roads, as nrg executives stressed yesterday during the official presentation of the project at the Niarchos Foundation.

At a time when a revolution is being recorded internationally in the automotive industry through the shift to electric vehicles, nrg is utilizing the retail network and infrastructure of the Motor Oil group by setting up chargers throughout Greece.

As nrg general manager Anastasios Lostarakos stressed in comments to journalists, "by 2025 I believe that the sales of electric cars will meet sales of hybrid cars, while by 2030 30% of all car sales will be electric". According to him, today 5% of the cars sold are electric, having already exceeded the relevant target set for the year, while in the coming years this category will move at a fast pace.

The event was attended by the secretary general. Energy and Natural Resources, Alexandra Sdoukou, who among other things pointed out that "e-mobility is a strategic choice of the Greek government in our path towards the future of transportation, which is green, clean and sustainable. Our next big goal is the creation of an adequate and accessible network of charging infrastructures throughout the country, a project for which we will first use resources of 80 million euros from the Recovery Fund. The role of the private sector will be catalytic. Initiatives, such as the one presented today by nrg, give a vote of confidence in our design and lay the foundations for making our journey in e-mobility a reality ".

Nrg yesterday introduced the new innovative incharge application, which provides real-time information on the status and location of chargers in publicly accessible points in the most technologically advanced way. The incharge platform is available both in an internet environment (web app), but also applications for mobile devices (mobile app), it gives multiple possibilities to the driver using modern payment methods, thus facilitating his movement throughout the country’s road network. At the same time, it offers comprehensive services of monitoring, preventive maintenance and management of the charging points of each company that have joined the network.

Elias Petris, Director of Strategy and Business Development, noted that "the future in Europe shows e-mobility. The approximately 1.5 million electric cars in circulation today will reach 70 million by 2025. In Greece, it is expected that by 2030, one in three cars sold will be electric, exceeding 300,000 vehicles. The incharge network chargers, located at strategic points on the main highways, cover most of the road network and will be able to charge an electric car at 80% of its capacity in less than half an hour."