Paris, 11 September 2023 – Atlante, the company of NHOA Group (NHOA.PA, formerly Engie EPS) dedicated to fast and ultra-fast charging network for electric vehicles (“EV”), has been selected once more for support by the European Union under CEF 2 Transport – Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Facility (“AFIF”), the funding programme supporting European transport infrastructure, with the award of a €49.9 million grant.
In 2022 under the same European programme, second cut-off, Atlante had been awarded with €23 million and this time, under the fourth cut-off, Atlante has been awarded with an additional €49.9 million funding, totaling c. €73 million of funding. The selection has been approved by the EU Member States and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) has started the preparation of the grant agreements with the project beneficiaries, including Atlante.
Atlante had submitted the project, code-named Atlante4All, for the overall installation of over 1,800 parking slots, with over 1,000 fastchargers in 407 EV stations, of which 153 located in Italy, 126 in France, 95 in Spain and 33 in Portugal. The Atlante4All project will also benefit from the financial support of France’s Groupe Caisse des Dépôts (“CDC”), which through its Banque des Territoires will provide additional funding for approximately €20 million[1].
Creating a capillary spread fast and ultra-fast charging network in Europe is essential to support electric mobility, allowing EV drivers to charge their vehicles easily everywhere, in a matter of minutes rather than hours. Atlante’s mission is to empower people to move freely while enjoying a better and more sustainable future, in harmony with our planet and in a context in which road transportation contributes to 70% of European transportation emissions and EU itself aims at reducing them by 90% by 2050, it is urgent to foster the transition to alternative, lower-carbon energy.
The fastcharging stations will be situated along the trans-European transport road network (TEN-T), on safe parkings and in urban nodes. All stations will be powered by 100% renewable energy and will be all modular and designed either with or ready for on-site battery storage, to manage peak charging hours, and on-site or off-site solar energy production. Once fully developed, all points of charge will be fully integrated with National grids, creating one of the largest Virtual Power Plants globally.
Consistently with the Amendment to the 2022 Universal Registration Document (filed under number D. 23-0366-A01 on August 28, 2023, sections 3.3.2 and 11.3), these €49.9 million from the European Union and the €20 million from CDC contribute towards the realization of one of the assumptions of the funding plan for Atlante’s objective of 22,000 points of charge by 2030, namely 30% of the annual Capex to be funded via public grants and funding programs.
“Building on the €23 million grant that we secured in 2022, with this additional €50 million award by the European Union supporting the installation of more than 1,800 points of charge, it’s now clearer than ever that Atlante is actively shaping the European energy transition. I am proud of Atlante team in our four countries for the amazing job done and extremely grateful towards France’s CDC for supporting this ambitious project with additional €20 million. Finally, I would like to thank the EU’s CEF and CINEA professionals for once again recognizing the value of Atlante’s multi-country and technology advanced proposal: the grants provided will help us develop stations across Southern Europe much earlier. This is the essence of the CEF 2 Transport – AFIF program: allowing the private sector to accelerate investments in the charging infrastructure which is a prerequisite for the mass adoption of zero-emission driving. The EU and the whole world should sprint—not just run—towards a more sustainable mobility. We could not be prouder of the recognition of Atlante, and we’re more determined than ever to rise and to accept the challenge providing the next generations with a better world, one fastcharger at a time”, commented Stefano Terranova, CEO of Atlante.
All the Atlante EV fastcharging stations will be accessible to people with reduced mobility, open 24/7 to all electric vehicles and compatible with every charging standard and service provider for electric mobility.
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[1] The provision of funding by CDC remains subject to finalization of transaction agreements.