The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Mr. Giannis Karousos presented today at a press conference the General Policy Framework for the promotion of the use of electric vehicles, which includes the strategic objectives, the necessary actions to establish the relevant legislative framework, determines the necessary organizational structure as well as the measures to be taken to achieve the objectives. This General Policy Framework also defines the responsibilities and actions per body and ministry.
The implementation of the General Policy Framework for the promotion of the use of electric vehicles will contribute both to the detoxification from polluting fuels and to the reduction of pollutants, which is also the goal of the European Union in the framework of the Green Agreement. According to the evaluation report of the National Governance Plan for Energy and Climate (ESDEK), Cyprus is called upon, during the preparation of the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability, to consider investments and reforms in order to achieve the goals of climate neutrality in 2050. In the transport sector, reductions in pollutant emissions are set at around 50%.
During presentation, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works said that, a significant number of actions of the General Policy Framework to promote the use of electric vehicles will be funded by the Recovery and Sustainability Fund, from which there is already approved funding of € 38.600.000.
Mr. Karousos stated that it has been set as a national goal that by 2030 25% of the new vehicle registrations will be electric. In addition, by 2030, 100% of new government vehicle purchases, where possible, will be electric. "Through the General Policy Framework for the promotion of the use of electric vehicles, incentives will be provided for the purchase of electric vehicles of all categories including private cars, mopeds, motorcycles, buses, commercial vehicles and taxis, as well as vehicles for disabled beneficiaries. families "said the Minister, emphasizing that" while in 2021 there are 201 registered electric vehicles, the goal set is like in 2030 to register around 36.000 electric vehicles ".
The Minister pointed out that, in the context of the integration of electric mobility in the lives of citizens, among other things, "28 electric buses will be purchased which will serve the public passenger transport in the city centers. In addition, all motorcycles of the Cyprus Post and the Public Service will be replaced with electric ones ".
Referring to the development of recharging infrastructure, Mr. Karousos stressed that there are provisions for the development of parking infrastructure and recharging of electric vehicles in accessible places of both public and private sector and added that "by 2026 will develop 1.000 charging stations in cities and at the same time 40 fast charging stations on highways and in public places ".
Concluding, Mr. Karousos stated emphatically: "We are changing speed and moving forward. We are shaping the Cyprus of Tomorrow. Cyprus is moving forward. It moves electrically ".