Search form

menu menu

Record number of motorists using Brussels electric car charging stations

A electric car connected at a recharging point (BELGA PHOTO KATLEEN VASTIAU)
14:22 06/11/2020

Motorists throughout the Brussels Capital Region can charge their electric cars at 122 locations, accounting for nearly 250 charging points in total. Never before have they been used so often as in the month of October, according to information from the regional traffic agency Brussels Mobility.

Around 5,000 electric cars are used in Brussels every day. They can charge their batteries on a basic network of public charging stations that are spread throughout the Brussels Region. On average, each pole is used at least once a day.

The original goal of setting up a regional base network of 100 electric charging terminals (each with two charging points) by 2020 has been achieved. In the month of November, another 14 poles will be added, and another 31 are being considered. Brussels residents can request for a charging terminal to be installed in their neighbourhood until October 2021.

Of those 122 terminals that currently operate, 33 have been installed at the request of citizens who own an electric car. Inhabitants in Schaerbeek (with 12 charging stations), Ixelles and Molenbeek (five each) are the most enthusiastic when exercising the option to place an electric charging pole in their neighbourhood.

The electric charging stations are also being used more and more. Despite the coronavirus crisis, a record number of charges were recorded in October. In the month of February, before the pandemic, 5 mWh of electricity was taken off the grid. That number has now increased sixfold to 30 mWh in October, or 200,000 kilometres travelled.

The most commonly used electric charging points are the oldest and therefore most well-known. They are mainly located in three municipalities: Schaerbeek, Etterbeek and Evere.

Written by Nick Amies