Endesa, an electric utility company in Spain and Telefonica, a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America, have unveiled the first phone booth in Madrid which can also be used for recharging EVs.
Reserved parking spaces will be located next to this and all other booths set up in metropolitan areas where users will be able to park their EVs and recharge at no cost once they have obtained their free ‘zero emissions’ pre-paid card from the Madrid city council.
This pilot scheme is intended to demonstrate the project’s technical viability, and its commercial feasibility. During the pilot scheme, which is due to run until the end of the year, recharging will be free-of-charge using a pre-paid card. The system will be launched commercially once the pilot scheme has finalised.
Endesa and Telefonica have signed an agreement to develop a technology using Telefonica’s phone booths as EV recharging points. The aim is to promote sustainable mobility and enable users to recharge their vehicles on public thoroughfares. This project, which uses pre-paid cards, will also provide information on usage and consumption.
This new service will offer users recharging facilities at phone booths located along main thoroughfares with parking spaces nearby. The phone booths provide service points throughout Spain and, as they are all electrically powered, will not require any additional adaptation.
The booths are usually located on pavements close to the curb, which will make recharging from the reserved parking spaces easier. Detailed information on the service available will also be displayed.
Endesa said that the development of a sustainable transport policy based on the EV as a key tool for combating climate change is a cornerstone of its Strategic Sustainability Plan 2008-2012.