Features
22 Jan 20

Pitpoint adds 20,000 EV chargers in Netherlands

Pitpoint, a Total subsidiary, has won the tender to install 20,000 public EV charging points in the Dutch provinces of Noord-Holland, Flevoland and Utrecht. 

The public tender was issued by Metropool Regio Amsterdam Electrisch (MRA-E), a public body that has issued such tenders on behalf of local governments in the three provinces since 2012. 

Projected increase

At the end of 2019, the Netherlands counted around 296 public EV chargers per 100,000 inhabitants – one of the best results in the EU. However, many more are needed to accommodate the projected increase in EVs over the coming months and years. 

At the end of 2018, there were about 145,000 public EV charging points across the EU, whereas about 2.8 million are needed to match the targets for EV growth. According to Europe’s car manufacturers association ACEA, this can only be achieved via government intervention. 

Maintaining prominence

MRA-E is an example of how the Netherlands has achieved – and is maintaining – its prominence in the domain of public EV charging. The organisation has streamlined the process, halving the time between application and installation to four months. 

The three Dutch provinces covered by MRA-E at present have combined 5,000 public EV chargers. The additional 20,000 will be inserted where the need is greatest – EV drivers can put in a request with their local government. While the deal with Pitpoint – which will install, operate and manage the charging points – is a great leap forward, many more will be needed to reach the government’s targets.

“I’m also working with other regions (in the Netherlands) to increase the number of charging points,” said Stientje van Veldhoven, Dutch minister for the environment, at the ceremony for the deal. “Electric mobility will become the new normal, which means that recharging your EV should become as easy as recharging your phone.” 

Authored by: Frank Jacobs