Three fast chargers for electric buses (so-called ‘opportunity chargers’) officially come into use in Edam, the Netherlands, today. This charging infrastructure will be used by electric buses that serve route 316 between Amsterdam and Edam-Volendam. This is the first long-distance route to be operated entirely using electric buses, with each bus covering a considerable number of kilometres on electricity.
It is also the first concrete result achieved by BENEFIC. As part of this European project, last summer 22 projects were selected which will receive investment support amounting to a maximum of 20% to establish charging and refuelling infrastructure for alternative transport fuels. The EBS project to install three fast chargers for electric buses was one of these projects. A second, additional call for projects focusing on zero-emission charging and refuelling infrastructure is running until 14 December 2018.
BENEFIC is an innovative project in terms of the cross-border cooperation it involves and the wide range of fuel technologies it covers. BENEFIC is also unique in terms of its approach, whereby a call for projects aimed at public- and private-sector partners is organised using European funds. This gives investors the chance to undertake projects on an affordable basis. With BENEFIC, the partners (Department of the Environment and Department of Mobility and Public Works for Flanders, Brussels Environment and Brussels Mobility for the Brussels-Capital Region and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management for the Netherlands) are aiming to achieve a final breakthrough for clean and green transport technologies. BENEFIC is part of the EU's 'Connecting Europe Facility', financed by the European Commission.