A total of 2,448 charging points for electric cars will be installed in Wallonia over a two-year period starting in the summer of 2024, Le Soir reported on Tuesday.
The scheme was initiated in July 2021 after a mandate by the Walloon government and officially began in autumn 2021. The location of these charging points were chosen through extensive mapping work, considering a series of criteria such as population density, type of housing, the presence of shops, sports or cultural centres, railway stations, among others.
"Two main networks are to be developed with the support of the public authorities: the few dozen fast-charging stations on motorways and the grid which will be taken care of by Sofico (the Walloon infrastructure financing company), and the network of public charging stations, which will provide the grid in the communes," Philippe Henry, Walloon Minister (Ecolo) for Energy, Climate and Mobility, told Le Soir.
The number of kiosks will vary significantly from one in Berloz to 185 in Charleroi, 97 in Liège, 52 in Namur and 39 in Mons, as well as eight in Paliseul and Nivelles. Only two communes, Blegny and Ellezelles, have opted out of the Walloon scheme.
The Walloon government has earmarked a budget of €15 million for the network, which will involve granting concessions to private operators responsible for installing the charging stations, maintaining them and operating them in the public space.
