The MULTI-E project partners gathered in Zagreb on 14 and 15 November 2024 for the final consortium meeting to mark the successful conclusion of the multi-year project aimed at promoting sustainable mobility in Slovenia, Croatia, and Slovakia. At the event, the project results were presented to representatives of the ministries and the European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). The project, led by the Petrol Group and co-financed through the European Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program, began in May 2018 and will be officially concluded on 31 December this year.

The overall goal of the MULTI-E project was to provide multiple solutions for clean transport, creating a paradigm shift in sustainable mobility. The project focused on upgrading existing public transport services by transitioning to new clean fuels as a key element in phasing out conventionally fuelled vehicles in cities, including deploying electric buses and charging stations for public transport in Koper and Maribor. It also introduced new services that offer innovative, emission-free transport options, such as e-car sharing and other services, along with smart technologies that integrate multiple clean mobility services into platforms for public sharing and fleet management. Additionally, the project expanded the network of charging infrastructure for electric and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in Urban Nodes and along the TEN-T Network.

Today, six electric minibuses and four electric minivans vans operate in public transport in Koper, while four electric city buses and three minibuses are available for passengers in Maribor complemented by a new charging infrastructure for electric buses. These advancements contribute to reducing air pollution in cities and advancing the transition to alternative fuels and cleaner forms of mobility. Within the Avant2Go car sharing service, over 300 new and modern electric cars have been put to use in Ljubljana, together with the relevant charging infrastructure, an upgraded IT mobility platform and the user mobile app updated with new services and features. 

At the end of the project, 74 Ultra-Fast (UC) charging stations with a power of at least 150 kW, each with up to two recharging points, were deployed along the TEN-T Core Network and Urban Nodes in Slovenia,Croatia,, and Slovakia.. Additionally, 105 AC recharging points (85 in Slovenia and 20 in Croatia) with a power of up to 22 kW each and three charging stations for compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles (two in Ljubljana and one in Celje) were installed, significantly contributing to the implementation of the European Alternative Fuels Strategy.

Marko Ninčević, Member of the Management Board of Petrol responsible for Energy Transition and Supply Chain, said at the conclusion of the project: "The Petrol Group is completing another major EU co-funded project in the field of e-mobility services and EV charging infrastructure development in Slovenia and Croatia. With this project, we are pursuing our vision of becoming an integrated partner in the energy transition with an excellent customer experience and our strategy of increasing the number of charging stations in strategic locations, especially ultra-fast charging stations along motorways, as well as fast charging stations in cities and in front of shopping malls. We currently operate 559 charging stations in the region. In parallel with the MULTI-E project conclusion at the end of this year, we are already starting a new CROSS-E project, also co-funded by the EU, thus making another step to achieving the green transition goals.”

Final Meeting of the MULTI-E Project Featuring a Tour of a Modern Charging Hub

In addition to the Petrol Group, the project was co-created by consortium partners ZSE, Zapadloslovenska energetika, a.s., NOMAGO Storitve mobilnosti in potovanj d.o.o., Arriva, družba za prevoz potnikov, d.o.o., Avant Car, poslovni inženiring, d.o.o., and the municipalities of Celje, Koper, and Maribor. The final meeting, which was moderated by the project manager Karina Medved Bregar from Petrol, was also attended online by representatives from the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy and the European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).

In his opening speech, the CEO of Petrol d.o.o., Ante Mandić, emphasised the project’s importance for the development of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in Croatia. Afterwards, the project partners visited one of Petrol’s recently deployed strategic locations for ultra-fast recharging stations alongside the TEN-T network in Croatia – Desinec S. This location features three ultra-fast chargers with four recharging points and a total power of 750 kW. Two recharging points were deployed within a previous EU co-funded project, NEXT-E, and two more were installed as part of the MULTI-E project. Additionally, a 1 MW transformer station was deployed exclusively for EV charging purposes.

Despite several challenges during the project, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine, and thanks to CINEA’s flexibility to extend the project duration, the partners successfully completed the project, with investments exceeding €20 million. The successful completion and achievements of the project were warmly welcomed by both CINEA and the relevant ministries.

Richard Ferrer, Head of the Alternative Fuels Sector at CINEA, the European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency congratulated the partners and said: “MULTI-E illustrates perfectly how a project can contribute to sustainable mobility. The project represents a holistic approach spanning from urban transport to long distance cross-border journey and promoting Mobility-as-a-Service in strategic nodes. The European Union’s support to MULTI-E reflects its commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the European Green Deal. Its success benefited from the combination of committed and forward-thinking public and private partners which allowed overcoming all obstacles." 

Darko Trajanov, Director General of the Transport Policy Directorate at the Ministry for environment, climate and energy, outlined: “At the conclusion of the MULTI-e project, we are pleased to recognize the progress made towards supporting zero emission mobility. Funded by the Connecting Europe Facility program, the project successfully contributed to the establishment of recharging infrastructure for electric vehicles, the purchase of electric buses and vans for urban public transportation, and the acquisition of electric vehicles for carsharing services. Furthermore, the MULTI-e project has enabled the deployment of three refuelling stations for compressed natural gas, thereby enhancing access to alternative fuels in transport. The MULTI-e project aligns with both national and EU climate strategies, advancing sustainable transport options and contributing to the climate goals. It also supports the objectives set forth in the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), promoting the development of cleaner, more efficient transportation networks. Through this comprehensive approach, the MULTI-e project contributes to a greener future, fostering environmentally-friendly transport solutions that benefit citizens and the broader European community.”

Ing. Peter Špalek, Director of the Department of Program Monitoring and Evaluation Project Management Section at Slovakian Ministry of Transport, emphasised: „Following our national Action plan for the development of electro-mobility and ensuring a long-term financial mechanism to support the development of charging infrastructure in Slovakia, the Ministry of Transport has been supporting the alternative fuels (AFIF) projects strongly from the very beginning. We consider projects combining charging (EV) and CNG refuelling infrastructure as one of major stepping stones towards greener and more sustainable Europe. We wish that more success stories like the Multi-E project are yet to follow.”