NIMAK - Auto Focus 2021

That could soon change, because this small island, populated by around 1300 inhabitants, has been selected as a pilot project for all-electric mobility by Volkswagen and the Greek government. Together, they want to test a holistic concept of sustainable and smart e-mobility. A memorandum of understanding, which has already been signed, provides for all cars, trucks, motorbikes and buses on the island of Astypalea to be replaced by Volkswagen electric vehicles. The electricity required for this is generated exclusively from wind and solar power. In addition, the vehicles are to be used more efficiently thanks to smart mobility concepts such as car sharing and ridesharing. VW Group CEO Herbert Diess has told the press that the project is „a forward-looking blueprint for clean mobility and a clean environment“. The island offers optimal conditions because the electromobility system can be planned from scratch here and the current public transport network consists of a single, ten-kilometre line, which is currently served by two regular buses. The conversion to electric vehicles will start with the police, fire brigade and municipality. The current scheduled buses will be replaced by several smaller shuttle buses serving all locations on the island as needed. Smart solutions can be found through car and ridesharing stations, which can be booked and paid for easily and conveniently via an app. The infrastructure for electric vehicles will be created at service stations, taxi stands, private homes, beaches, rental car companies and car parks. If the ambitious project succeeds, a very barren Greek island with no green forests could very soon become the greenest of all Mediterranean islands! Who doesn‘t think back to sunny and relaxed holidays on Rhodes, Naxos or Crete when they hear the words „Greek islands“? Today, however, we would like to look at another Aegean island: Astypalea! Never heard of it? ENERGY TRANSITION EXPERIMENT ASTYPALEA: SMART, SUSTAINABLE ISLAND ASTYPALEA Greece MOBILITY SERVICES PUBLIC CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ID.CHARGER SOLAR AND WIND POWER PLANTS CHARGING & GREEN ELECTRICITY VEHICLE SHARING SERVICE: E-CARS, E-SCOOTERS, E-BIKES RIDE SHARING SERVICE E-CARS E-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES E-MICROMOBILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES