Benzina, the largest fuel station network and part of the Unipetrol refinery and petrochemical group, is expanding its offers by adding the possibility of fast charging for electric cars. In cooperation with Electromobility from the ČEZ Group, it has started equipping its fuel stations with fast charging stations making it possible for most electric vehicles to recharge 80% of their battery capacity within 20-30 minutes. Cooperation between Unipetrol and ČEZ began in 2014, when ČEZ installed charging station at the Benzina fuel station in Vrchlabí as part of the so-called Vrchlabí Smart Region.
“We want to offer the widest possible range of products and services at the Benzina fuel stations. In addition to traditional fuels, we also offer alternative fuels - LPG and CNG. We are now expanding that offer with electric power. In the first phase, we selected up to twenty-five stations located in busy locations - cities, motorways and first-class roads,” said Tomasz Wiatrak, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Unipetrol Group responsible for retail and corporate governance, and continued: “We are working on also including hydrogen, which we produce ourselves, in Benzina’s offer. We have feasibility studies available for specific locations and the project is still in the phase of acquiring the necessary development permit,”
ČEZ is planning to equip the selected locations with the fast charging points within a horizon of the next two years. The first to start operation was a pair of fast charging stations on the premises of the Benzina fuel station in Rousín near Vyškov. “With nearly one hundred public charging stations, ČEZ is the operator of the largest network in the Czech Republic, and Benzina is the leader on the fuel station market. We have thus decided to cooperate and develop the electromobility network together. Fuel stations are the logical place for recharging. Drivers are used to refuelling here and the necessary facilities are available here too. The European grant from the CEF program for Transport helps us significantly speed up the construction of the fast charging stations,” said Pavel Cyrani, Chief Officer of the ČEZ Sales and Strategy Division.
The construction will be partly funded through two grants of the European CEF program, whose challenge has been successfully met by ČEZ in the past year and in the year before. The European Commission thus provides support for the interconnection of Europe by building charging stations along the main TENT-T road network.
There are approximately 2,000 electric cars currently registered in the Czech Republic. Just in the last year, the number of electric vehicles increased by 400. Projections of future development indicate that, within the next few years, annual sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids will be in the order of thousands. The gradual removal of the biggest barriers (limited choice, high price, low density of charging infrastructure and low customer experience) combined with supportive measures (free entry into city centres, parking zones, permission to drive in lanes dedicated to public transport, etc.) should lead to a quick increase to 20% share in total sales of vehicles and light utility vehicles in the Czech Republic.
Unipetrol
The Unipetrol Group is the largest refinery and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. The Group focuses primarily on the processing of crude oil and on manufacturing, distribution and sale of fuel and petrochemical products. In all these areas, the group is a key player on both the Czech as well as Central European market. In 2005, Unipetrol became part of the PKN Orlen Group, the largest processor of crude oil in Central Europe. Unipetrol is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic in terms of turnover and employs more than 4,600 people. For more, visit unipetrol.cz
Benzina
Benzina is part of the Unipetrol Group and operates the largest network of fuel stations in the Czech Republic. It has undergone rich development during its more than half a century-long history. Benzina is a traditional, yet modern brand for Czech drivers characterized by high-quality fuels and its customer service. In addition to brand-new fuels with the EFECTA cleaning effect, Benzina also offers VERVA premium fuel and a wide selection of snacks at its gastronomic concept STOP CAFE. At the end of March 2018, Benzina network had 404 fuel stations. At the end of 2017, its market share was 20.5%. For more information, visit www.benzina.cz,www.facebook.com/Benzina.cz or https://www.instagram.com/benzinacz/
ČEZ Group
The ČEZ Group has been active in the area of electromobility development since 2009. Since the very beginning, its primary activity has been the construction and operation of public charging stations. Today its scope is much wider and includes service to customers from the retail segment (ČEZ Prodej, s.r.o.) as well as service to clients from the business sector, municipalities or regions (ČEZ ESCO). The ČEZ Group provides, for example, design and installation of turn-key charging stations, electrification of car fleets, charging platforms, including IT solutions, rentals or sales of electric cars or wall boxes and charging cables. For local authorities, ČEZ offers the implementation and operation of charging stations for electric buses or design of electromobility concepts in individual towns and regions. For more, visit http://www.elektromobilita.cz/cs/mapa-dobijecich-stanic.html.
ČEZ, a. s. UNIPETROL RPA, s.r.o.
Martin Schreier Pavel Kaidl
Spokesperson for Renewable Energy Sources Manager of Public Relations
Tel. +420 725 765 848 Tel. +420 736 502 520