Enefit Volt, the largest public electric car charging network in Estonia, has started replacing chargers that were previously part of the Elmo network. The installation work began in June and is planned to take place until the end of 2024. As of now, the first 37 charging points planned for this summer have been upgraded.

The new chargers are making a big leap forward based on the dominant trends among electric car users, allowing two CCS standard electric vehicles to be charged at the same time compared to the previous CHAdeMO charging standard.

‘Investments in new chargers are viewed through a 10-year perspective, and the usage rates of CHAdeMO are unfortunately already falling below the CCS standard,’ said Kert Pääbo, Business Development Manager at Enefit Volt. ‘As the trend grows and taking into account the existing network, we see that the need for CCS chargers is increasing.’

‘This does not mean that the Japanese chargers will completely disappear,’ he added. ‘We plan to maintain the CHAdeMO charging standard on a region-by-region basis for the coming years, so that charging with the CHAdeMO standard remains possible in major towns and along roads.’

According to Pääbo, installation of the new chargers went according to plan. ‘We started replacing the first charging points at the beginning of summer and managed to complete the necessary work in less than two months. I would like to thank the team for their efficient work!’

Charging points throughout a total of 13 counties received a new and more modern look, and they can be seen in Tallinn, Märjamaa, Vormsi, Emmaste, Karksi-Nuia, Paide, Tartu, Värska, Kohtla-Järve and many other locations across Estonia. For exact locations, see the map.

The chargers installed over the summer are part of a longer plan, and the replacement of Elmo chargers will continue in the coming years. ‘By the end of next year, we plan to replace 79 Elmo charging points all over Estonia,’ Pääbo said. ‘37 of them, or nearly half, have been upgraded by now, supplying 74 electric vehicles with electricity.’

The upgraded charging points are located primarily in the residential areas of Tallinn and Tartu, as well as in larger rural areas where the demand for charging solutions is growing. In 2024 new fast chargers will be installed in Virtsu, Valga, Orissaare, Türi, Räpina, Viitna and Kohila, among other places.

‘Replacing Elmo chargers, installed more than ten years ago, is part of our plan to expand the public charging network,’ Pääbo said. ‘At the same time, we will be able to bring electric car chargers closer to people living in apartment buildings or outside city limits. We plan to further expand the existing charging points, supplementing today’s CCS chargers and the CHAdeMO chargers in certain locations with Type 2 chargers,’ Pääbo added.

After this wave of innovation, the number of chargers suitable for CCS-standard vehicles in Estonia is estimated to increase fivefold.