Electric cars go full steam ahead in Estonia with national charging system

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By Cheryl K. Chumley

The Washington Times

Thursday, February 21, 2013

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The Northern European nation of Estonia has made world history.

It’s the first country in the world to put in a nationwide fast-charging system for electric vehicles, according to Reuters.

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The installation is aimed at reducing carbon emissions in Europe, according to Reuters. Estonia has a population of about 1.2 million — and 619 electric cars, Reuters reports. Only about 100 are privately owned, however; the rest are driven by government officials, Reuters says.

The vehicle are considered high cost and don’t give much of a long-range drive, Reuters said.

Still, many in Europe see electric cars as the way of the future. And the new charging network dots 165 charging outlets at strategic locations along Estonia’s roads and in various towns.

“Now is the time to really press the pedal and move forward in electrical mobility,” said James Tuisk, the head of Estonia’s nationwide charging system, in the Reuters report. “We have proved that there is a real possibility to set up a network in a country, and there are no technical barriers.”

About the Author

Cheryl K. Chumley

Cheryl Chumley is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She’s also a 2008-2009 Robert Novak journalism fellow with The Phillips Foundation. She can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.