Belgium public transport operator De Lijn has placed an order for charging station at Polish based SPIE-Ekoenergetyka with a value of 24.2 million euros. De Lijn is the public transport authority/operator in the Belgium province of Flanders and sees this order an important step towards fully emission-free public transport by 2035.
The order is part of the framework agreement of November 2023, which provides for a maximum of 1,600 charging points over a period of 8 years. De Lijn initially ordered 403 charging stations from SPIE-Ekoenergetyka and ABB. The framework agreement stipulated that additional orders with a single supplier would follow a mini-competition between SPIE-Ekoenergetyka and ABB. Ultimately, De Lijn entrusted this second order to SPIE-Ekoenergetyka. Specifically, this order includes 600 to 900 charging stations, ranging from
50 to 180 kW. The allocation of charging stations to each of the 50 depots of De Lijn will depend on the electrification process at those depots. "Charging infrastructure is a key element in our transformation towards zero-emission solutions," says Ann Schoubs, director-general of De Lijn. "By 2035, we aim to offer fully emission-free public transport. This order for charging stations will help ensure that all electric buses can be charged."