EnergyVision to Install Public Charging Points in Aalter Over the Next 10 Years
Charging your electric vehicle in Aalter will soon become even easier. Over the next few years, energy company EnergyVision will install at least 200 public charging points across the entire municipality, with half of them being installed this year. The first twelve charging points open to the public today in the underground parking lot Altr’A on Stationsstraat. “We are primarily targeting high-traffic locations where the demand for charging is highest,” says EnergyVision CEO Maarten Michielssens.
Currently, there are 97 public charging points on Aalter’s public domain. The local government has developed an ambitious plan to expand the network to at least 300 public charging points by 2030.
Innovative, Sustainable, and High-Quality
Last year, the concession granted by the Flemish government expired, prompting the local administration of Aalter to rethink its strategy. The regional rollout was progressing at a different pace than the municipality’s ambitions. That is why Aalter, following the example of Antwerp and Ghent, decided to launch its own concession and take control of the rollout. This decision brings several advantages: it ensures that Aalter meets the objectives of the Local Energy and Climate Pact (LEKP), achieves the minimum required number of charging points, and fulfills its commitments. Having its own concession allows the municipality to act more swiftly and efficiently, encourages innovation, and prevents an uncontrolled proliferation of charging points. To realize this ambitious plan, the municipality has awarded a 10-year concession to EnergyVision.
“We were looking for an innovative, sustainable, and high-quality partner to expand our charging network intelligently. Our unique collaboration with EnergyVision will enable us to quickly respond to the growing electrification of the vehicle fleet and the future needs of our residents. With this concession, Aalter is ready for the future!” – Mathias Van de Walle, Alderman for Smart City.
(Fast) Charging at High-Traffic Locations
This year alone, EnergyVision will expand the charging network in Aalter and its surrounding villages with at least 100 additional public charging points. Most of these will be standard charging points, but EnergyVision is also exploring, in collaboration with the municipal council and network operator Fluvius, the possibility of installing fast chargers. These new charging points will be installed throughout the year at strategically important locations, such as large parking areas, sports and youth facilities, near major roads, community centers, and more. The first charging points are already operational as of today: twelve charging stations in the underground parking lot Altr’A, which have been taken over by EnergyVision.
In the coming years, the energy company will continue installing additional charging points in high-traffic locations in consultation with the local administration and Fluvius. This rollout will be carried out in phases, ensuring that by the end of the concession period, over 200 new public charging points will have been installed. EnergyVision is thus helping the local government achieve its ambitious charging infrastructure goals: tripling the current number of public charging points in the municipality.
The Cheapest Charging Rates in Aalter
Residents and visitors of Aalter will be able to charge their electric vehicles at EnergyVision charging points, both slow and fast charging, at the lowest price (currently €0.43/kWh, VAT included). This base rate is available for those using an EnergyVision charging card, which can be requested via the company’s website. This low tariff is made possible because all EnergyVision charging points operate on green electricity generated by its solar panels installed in the region. This month, users of Chargemap, Europe’s largest online community of electric vehicle drivers, voted EnergyVision’s charging network as the best and most reliable in Belgium.
“The local administration of Aalter is shaping an impressive mobility strategy, and we are delighted to contribute as a sustainable energy company. Thanks to our charging points, electric vehicle drivers will never have to experience charging anxiety in Aalter and its surrounding villages. And all of this at the lowest rates in the municipality.” – Maarten Michielssens, CEO of EnergyVision.
