The Tbilisi City Hall has presented a new MartEV fast charging station near the Philharmonic Hall. The city continues to develop infrastructure for environmentally friendly transport, but electric vehicle owners complain that the current tariffs make operating the cars more expensive than expected.
Mayor Kakha Kaladze, during an inspection of the new station on Tuesday, reminded that the city authorities support the transition to electric vehicles. He noted that owners of such cars enjoy a number of advantages: free customs clearance and free parking. According to him, expanding the network of fast charging stations remains one of the key areas of the capital's environmental policy.
In January, the City Hall announced an auction for the installation of 198 fast charging stations, dividing the project into three lots of 66 devices each. The starting price for the annual lease of each lot was 43,560 GEL, but competition significantly increased the rates. Two lots were sold for 501.3 thousand GEL per year, and the third for 510 thousand GEL. As a result, the operators' annual payments will reach about 1.5 million GEL, and over ten years - about 15 million GEL.
MartEV, which won in two lots, has installed more than half of the 130 fast charging stations planned. Kaladze thanked the company and its employees, emphasizing that expanding the network should improve air quality in the city.
The Mayor did not comment on the cost of the operators' services. Meanwhile, users on social networks state that MartEV's current tariffs are noticeably higher than expected. According to their estimates, charging costs are approaching the costs of operating hybrid cars.
Infrastructure Development and Financial Conditions
The city program to increase the number of fast charging stations has become one of the most ambitious infrastructure initiatives in recent years. The results of the auction provided Tbilisi with a stable income and allowed to accelerate the installation of equipment. High interest from operators led to an almost 12-fold increase in the cost of rent compared to the initial price.
The priority of the City Hall remains the environmental component of the project. Fast charging stations are being put into operation in areas with high traffic load to support the transition to zero-emission transport.
User Reaction and Cost Issues
Despite the expansion of the network, electric vehicle owners are paying attention to the cost of charging. According to them, MartEV tariffs significantly increase costs, and with frequent use, an electric vehicle turns out to be only slightly more economical than a hybrid car. Official comments on the tariff structure and its regulation have not yet been published.
