Electric vehicles ready to take charge

Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly seen as the transport of the future. ACCIONA is ready to help roll them out. The Company has installed charging points which are already operating in Madrid, Valencia and Pamplona.

In a matter of months, top car manufacturers will begin rolling out the first EVs in Spain. They represent the first steps of a 21st Century transport revolution towards sustainable mobility. This will be a green and silent revolution - the new motors emit no CO2 and make little noise.

ACCIONA is readying itself to support the roll-out by installing the necessary infrastructure services for recharging the vehicles. This includes operating information and energy supply. With this in mind, it has signed collaboration agreements with a number of industry players, especially car park managers and local authorities lean-ing towards providing a charging service for future users. The Company is also finalizing accords with technological suppliers to offer the most advanced solutions.

A green and silent revolution is underway: the new motors emit no CO2 and make little noise

Posts already operational

The first products of this collaboration are already visible in the streets of Pamplona, high-speed railway stations in Valencia and Madrid, and the capital's Parquesur shopping centre, in the form of operating charging points. ACCIONA has also placed several such posts on a number of its premises. At the time of writing, a total of 14 had been installed, but several hundred more are scheduled to come on line during this year and many more in the years to come.

How to recharge

• A green light means the post is operating and available. Users connect an electric cable to their vehicle and swipe a card to free the lid covering the charge socket.
• As the card passes, the post light turns yellow, meaning it is being used. The lid can now be lifted and the cable plugged into the charging point.
• After plugging in the cable and closing the lid, the light turns blue. Charging has begun. A display shows the progress of the charge and the energy consumed.
• To finish charging, the card is swiped again, the light returns to yellow and the electricity supply stops. The lid is lifted, the cable unplugged, the lid locks shut again and the light returns to green.
• A red light indicates a fault. The user can use the telephone provided to solve the problem.