The Regional Government has already submitted to the Legislative Assembly the proposal for regional legislative decree defining the strategy for the implementation of electric mobility in the archipelago, recently approved by the Council of the Government.
 
This legal document gives shape to the Government's Energy Programme with regard to the strengthening of the policy for the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and energy dependence from the outside. It also focuses on the promotion of energy-efficient consumption and behaviours as well as on the investment in innovation, technology, energy efficiency and various electric mobility solutions.
 
The strategy is based on the fact that the Azores have the ideal conditions for the implementation of electric mobility, considering the geographic, physiographic and environmental features of each island and its size. In the archipelago, the relatively short daily routes benefit from the growing autonomy of electric vehicles and the technological evolution of this sector. It is strongly committed to accompanying the implementation of the new sustainable development paradigm, while fostering the competitiveness of the Region as an insular territory in the national, European and global context.
 
The legislation provides for the implementation of a series of measures, including the implementation of public vehicle charging stations that will cover all islands and municipalities of the Azores.
 
It also includes the gradual installation of electric vehicle charging network in apartment buildings, tourism developments as well as in tourism, social, recreational, cultural and sports infrastructures. There are also plans to install station in commercial establishments, public parking areas and future housing developments. This measure aims to provide electric vehicle user with greater comfort and safety in their daily routes and itineraries, thus meeting their immediate charging needs.
 
Moreover, the legislation provides for the creation of incentives and the establishment of targets for the positive discrimination of electric vehicles users in the Azores, given the strategic and operational relevance of this type of mobility, including the public administration and the public business sector.
 
In order to promote the mass use of electric vehicles, the Government is already developing awareness-raising and information actions towards the promotion of electric mobility aimed at different target audiences and sectors of activity.
 
This strategy will be accompanied by the preparation of electric mobility planning tools at regional and municipal level that will be subject to periodic assessment, namely the PMEA - Plan for the Electric Mobility of the Azores.
 
The legal document stipulates that the implementation of electric mobility in the Azores will be supported by a programme aimed at implementing the measures and actions defined by the strategy adopted. It will serve as a catalyst for the participation of entities belonging to the scientific and technological system, companies, public administration and the civil society.