The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism stated in Horta that the Regional Government now has ambitious tools and tools for the implementation of the Electric Mobility Strategy, following the approval the Parliament's approval of the respective Regional Legislative Decree.
 
Marta Guerreiro said that it will foster "the progressive installation of the electric vehicle charging network in buildings and tourism projects as well as in tourism, social, recreational, cultural and sports infrastructures, among others. There are plan to expand it to commercial establishments and public car parks."
 
The Secretary for Energy also predicted that "at least eight of the remaining 16 fast charging stations will be implemented by the end of the year. The international public tender for their installation and maintenance is scheduled to be launched during July."
 
This network will include 26 public fast charging stations for electric vehicles, covering all islands and municipalities of the archipelago. Among them, 10 will be installed following the signing of protocols with municipal councils.
 
"In addition to the loading stations, the legislation provides for the allocation of financial incentives, namely the purchase of electric vehicles and loading devices as well as the acquisition of electric passenger transport vehicles for the renewal or conversion of fleets."
 
The Regional Secretary recalled that an opening notice has been recently launched under the 2020 Operational Programme with a financial allocation of two million Euros. It is directed to public passenger transport companies for the acquisition of new electric vehicles for urban, suburban and interurban passenger transport, thus contributing to the promotion of sustainable mobility.
 
Marta Guerreiro pointed out that other non-financial incentives will be also granted for under this legislation," including tax benefits and the provision of specific parking spaces for electric vehicles in public car parks."
 
"Additionally, it includes the adoption of measures to foster electric mobility in the public administration and in the public business sector, through the progressive replacement of the car fleet with electric vehicles," stressed the government official. In this regard, she highlighted that the Regional Government "has approved an internal memorandum stipulating that all government departments, when renewing their car fleets, must consider that, at least, one-third must be electric vehicles."
 
"The Support Programme for the Acquisition of Vehicles by Private Social Solidarity Institutions - IPSS, designated as Solidarity in Motion, is another example. It determines that, when acquiring light vehicles, these should be preferably electric, representing a significant investment in the electric-based sustainable mobility of the social sector," stated the government official.
 
"This strategy will be followed up by the development of planning tools for electric mobility at regional and municipal levels, which will be subject to evaluation on a periodical basis," said Marta Guerreiro. In this context, she highlighted the Azores Electric Mobility Plan (PMEA) as "a structuring document that serves as basis for the implementation of public policies in the Azores with a view to disseminating electric mobility, starting with diagnostics and simulations that will consolidate the options taken throughout the plan."
 
According to the government official, a series of awareness-raising and information actions will be carried out with the aim of training and informing the population and all sectors of activity about this innovative form of mobility. It aims to provide all Azoreans with knowledge that will contribute to joint efforts towards the achievement of the goals that raise the sustainability standards of the Azores."