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A year ago, Latvenergo AS with its trading brand Elektrum opened the first commercial electric car charging stations of the company. Their successful operation demonstrates the strategic importance of electrical mobility. Just within a year, they have charged electricity for a trip of more than 400 thousand kilometres. By continuing development and by opening at least 84 charging ports by the end of 2021, Elektrum will become the largest commercial electric car charging network in Latvia. As a result, there will be more than 250 charging ports in Latvia at the end of 2021.

A year ago, by opening three electric car charging stations Latvenergo AS started a pilot project to evaluate business opportunities of electric car charging and offered the most modern charging opportunities in the country functioning on commercial principles. Stations offering customers green energy generated by Latvenergo AS power plants were opened in Riga and Jurmala. Since their opening, around 400 customers made nearly 5000 charging cycles at Elektrum charging stations, amounting to approximately 75 thousand kWh, which is more than 400,000 kilometres travelled without the use of fossil resources such as petrol, diesel or autogas.

Similarly, the number of Elektrum charging sites has increased significantly reaching 21 charging ports at 7 stations. Of all ports 7 are set up in Riga at the Latvenergo office building at Pulkveza Brieza Street, which is the first place in Latvia where so many electric cars can be charged at the same time. Currently, Elektrum electric car charging ports are also located near the Energy Efficiency Centre in Jurmala, at Uzvaras Boulevard in Riga, at Plavinas HPP, at Kegums HPP. In cooperation with partners, charging sites have also been created near the company Energolukss at Ulbrokas Street and in the territory of the Mukusalas Business Centre in Riga. Information on these charging stations can be found on the Elektrum website.

Several more charging stations are scheduled to be opened by the end of the year and at least 50 next year. At the end of 2021, there could be at least 84 Elektrum charging ports in Riga, also in Liepaja, Ventspils and other cities of Latvia, with some of them being created together with cooperation partners.

Elektrum charging stations provide customer service, billing opportunities and technical support 24/7.

Kaspars Cikmačs, member of the Management Board of Latvenergo, AS Chief Technology and Support Officer: “The pilot project has enabled us to better identify the needs, desires and habits of electric car owners and to explore market opportunities and developments as we are extending our activities to new markets in the sector. Over the past year Latvenergo has significantly strengthened its competence in electrical mobility not only by significantly expanding the number of Elektrum charging sites, but also by establishing cooperation with other undertakings, cooperating with supermarkets and office centres and setting up Elektrum charging station in parking areas of partners. We have also developed our services in the online shop elektrumveikals.lv, offering electric car charging systems that enable electric car owners to charge their transport at home twice as quickly as they charge it from their outlets.”

For the first time, Elektrum created an electric car charging application for the Latvian market. Payment at Elektrum stations is taken for the kilowatt-hours used (kWh); it is a more convenient and precise method, so that the customer could assess the battery charging volume.

Both Elektrum charging stations and the provision of the charging service are convenient and user friendly, and we provide customers with 24/7 assistance by phone.  

Latvenergo AS, as an innovative company with responsible attitude towards society and climate, purposefully promotes and supports the entry of electrical mobility in Latvia, while at the same time realizing its plans to create electric car charging sites. By developing electric charging and promoting the development of electric transport, Latvenergo contributes to a reduction in CO₂ emissions in the transport sector in Latvia.

This is essential because in the coming decades a large part of the EU’s actions and policies will focus on achieving the Green Deal objectives and climate neutrality.  

An electric car has significantly lower maintenance costs compared to cars with internal combustion engines, they have fewer parts and a much smaller need for repairs during operation, and therefore the costs of travelling and maintenance are cheaper. It is likely that 2021 will become an electric car year in the car industry as almost every car manufacturer announced plans to launch at least one, if not several new electric car models.

There are currently more than 840 electric vehicles registered in Latvia, and their numbers continue to grow rapidly. Forecasts show that there could already be more than 30,000 electric cars in Latvia in 2030.