The Dalmatian Energy Agency DEA invites all distributors and registered public charging stations for electric cars and bicycles, as well as electric charging stations for maritime traffic in the area of Split-Dalmatia County, to submit information on the location, number of chargers and capacity of charging stations to the DEA’s email (info@dea-sdz.hr) for the purpose of creating a comprehensive map of the network of electric charging stations in the county.
The number of public charging stations for electric cars, bicycles and electric charging stations intended for maritime traffic is increasing day by day, but many citizens who own electric vehicles still do not have a map with the places where they are installed, nor overview information about their power. This problem would be solved by creating DEA’s comprehensive map of the network of electric charging stations. In the second step, the DEA will create a digital application that, in addition to data on the number and location of filling stations, will also contain information on whether the filling station is busy, which will make their use much easier for citizens and tourists.
DEA director Mario Jakić pointed out that the global focus on the issue of sustainability and environmental responsibility has led to a sudden increase in interest in electric vehicles. “It is not a Croatian phenomenon because the same thing is happening all over the world. In Croatia, the number of electric vehicles (cars, bicycles, scooters, etc.) has increased, but the infrastructure, i.e. the network of charging stations, has stagnated in relation to this growth. Although the situation is better now, the number of filling stations should be increased in the tourist counties during the season,” says Jakić. He explains that according to the available data, slightly less than 5,800 fully electric vehicles and over 1,000 public charging stations were registered in Croatia at the end of last year, and it is clear that a more extensive network of charging stations is needed.
Mario Jakić reminded that several important projects aimed at improving the infrastructure of charging stations are currently being implemented in Croatia, as well as the fact that in October of last year a new regulation at the level of the European Union (AFIR) was accepted, which will help increase number of chargers for electric vehicles. “The reason is that the AFIR regulation sets the so-called nationally binding targets which prescribe how many European Union member states must set up electricity or hydrogen filling stations for light and heavy vehicles, depending on the number of vehicles in the country. In the case of Croatia, this means that by 2025 have to install from 100 to 200 fast charging stations for electric vehicles, of course depending on their power. If these were charging stations with a power of 50-70 kW, there would have to be about 200 of them. In the case of charging stations with a power of 100 to 150 kW, a smaller number of charging stations will be needed”, explained Jakić. He notes that this is extremely important because in 2027 Croatia will in accordance with legal regulations, have to provide the same power as if three percent of the total number of cars were electric, which means that the number of fast chargers will have to increase to 470, and by 2030 to over 800.
The director of DEA Jakić says that – although the number of charging stations for electric vehicles, as well as electric charging stations for maritime traffic are growing day by day – in Split-Dalmatia County there is a need to increase this number and make them more visible . Therefore, the Dalmatian Energy Agency set out to create a precise network of charging stations in order to make existing and future charging stations available to all citizens as well as to numerous tourists and to make it easier for them to use electric vehicles on a daily basis. Of course, a precise map of electric charging stations will position the county even better on the tourist map of Europe.
Mario Jakić, B.Sc. Ing.
Director of the Dalmatian Energy Agency
Split, 23. January 2024