The Call of Electric
The Spanish government has unveiled plans to convert 30 Madrid telephone boxes into charging stations for electric vehicles.
Now that most capital-dwelling Spaniards own mobile phones, the booths are to play a role in the electrification of the city’s private transport. The booths are part of a network of 546 state-subsidised charging points across three cities: Madrid, Barcelona and Seville.
The Spanish government will spend £8.7m on kick-starting the use of electric cars over the next two years.
Barcelona city council said it already had an agreement with the Endesa electricity company to install recharging points attached to "intelligent lampposts" in the street. It will have 191 recharging points installed within two years.
Companies tendering for services to town halls and government offices will earn extra points if they can show that they are using electric-powered vehicles.
"The aim is to introduce some 2,000 vehicles into cities over the next two years," industry ministry Miguel Sebastián said.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk 8 September 2009