Prague hopes to build electric-car charging network with EU funds

Prague City Hall hopes to expand the infrastructure network for charging electric cars without breaking its budget. The city now expects that up to 85 percent of planned investment costs could come from subsidies from European funds.

When the charging stations are in operation, people with electric cars will be able to pay to for charging using the ID Lítačka mobile app.

Co-financing for creating charging stations comes from the EU’s Transport Operational Program, which covers infrastructure for alternative fuels. This includes support for the development of the infrastructure of regular charging stations in cities and towns.

The city already operates a few charging stations, but mostly as part of a pilot program. The long-term plan calls for thousands of charging points to be created in the coming years.

"Meaningful support for electromobility in the city consists in ensuring an accessible and high-quality infrastructure for recharging close to residence or work. We want to build this infrastructure through a concession for its operation in public space," Prague Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib, responsible for transportation, said.

"The project plan will now be processed to submit the city's application for financial support from European subsidies. If it is not confirmed that the Transport Operational Program is the right solution, we will look for other available subsidy titles," Hřib added.

The documentation for a tender to create the infrastructure is now being prepared by the city company Operátor ICT. The winner of the tender will design, build, install, and operate charging infrastructure.

Prague City Councilor Michal Hroza, responsible for infrastructure, said that according to current estimates, approximately 180,000 electric cars will be driving in the capital in 2030. "The development of charging infrastructure is thus one of the key priorities of the current City Council; we cannot wait for anything in this area," Hroza said.

Petr Suška, director of the Smart City and Innovation Department of Operátor ICT, said the first charging stations built under the city’s concession plan could be put into operation in the middle of next year.

"The concept of smart cities also includes electromobility, and with this, we can contribute to the development of cleaner transport in our metropolis," he said.

Public charging will be added to the current range of services for the citizens of Prague that we provide in the PID Lítačka mobile app, Suška added. Aside from paying for public transit, people can already use the app to pay for parking, for example.