The first programme, worth 140 million levs, involves the construction of over 200 fast charging stations for electric cars across the country, the ministry said in an emailed statement on Monday. The stations, which will use power from renewable sources, will be connected to the transmission network of Bulgaria’s Electricity System Operator (ESO).
The second programme, worth 32 million levs, relates to the construction of eight hydrogen charging stations for public transport vehicles and heavy-load vehicles. The stations will be set up in border areas, on key roads connecting Bulgaria with Romania, Greece, Serbia, Turkey and North Macedonia, as well as in larger cities, including Sofia, Varna and Burgas.
The overall goal is the completion of a nationwide charging infrastructure for electric vehicles by the end of 2025. According to the statement, the planned network is expected to cover 80% of the municipalities in the country.
The two programmes, both to be piloted in Burgas, are based on expectations for the wide-spread entry of electric vehicles in Bulgaria between 2030 and 2040. According to ESO estimates, the number of electric vehicles will reach 200,000 by 2030, requiring a total of 600,000 MWh of electricity annually. The number is expected to rise to 2 million vehicles by 2040, with a total annual power consumption of nearly 6 million MWh. By 2050, electric vehicles would potentially increase to 3.5 million, consuming 13 million MWh of power per year.
Currently, vehicles in Bulgaria consume petrol and diesesl, whose equivalent in electricity is 45 million MWh. The mass introduction of electric vehicles is expected to reduce the energy consumed in transport by two-thirds by 2050.
In March, non-governmental organisation Bulgarian Energy and Mining Forum said that Bulgaria aims to have 10,000 charging points for electric vehicles that will be powered by renewable sources within the next five years, including both slow and fast charging points.
