Building on ERTICO’s approach towards facilitating cross border cooperation and supporting interoperability in the field of electromobility,  Dr. Angelos Amditis, ERTICO Chairman participated in the panel discussion of the event ‘Electromobility: technological developments and prospects of cooperation between Greece and Germany’ organised by the Greek General Consulate in Munich, the Hellenic Network of Business Executives Bavaria – HNBEBavaria and the Club of Scientists in Munich.

This virtual event brought together a variety of actors involved in the mobility ecosystem from both countries, with the participation of the Secretary General of the Greek Minister of Environment and Energy, Alexandra Sdoukou, officials from the German Ministries, and high level representatives from the industry, the business world and the automotive value chain.

Dr. Amditis pointed out the key role of research in enabling the transition to electromobility and highlighted the issues that European research has been trying to address in the frame of strategic partnerships, pilots and projects with the aim of accelerating developments in the field. Topics related to sufficient and accessible charging infrastructure, sustainability of electricity distribution networks and the requirements and challenges of electric vehicles batteries have been the focus of extensive research that currently guides policy initiatives and decisions in both countries. The development of an innovation framework for the provision of digital services in the field of electromobility, e-roaming facilities and interoperable data, the wider usage of light electrified vehicles for urban transport and city logistics, the process of understanding the needs of the cities, of operators and end-users as well as the process of promoting public awareness, lie at the core of sustainable planning for electromobility. Recognising new opportunities for innovation in this new ecosystem, Dr Amditis highlighted the role of the ERTICO partnership, in developing a multidisciplinary approach and involving all relevant stakeholder sectors in a constant dialogue.

In continuation of an already established strategic partnership between significant actors in Greece and Germany for the acceleration of the transition to electromobility, the discussion presented country-specific evidence on the transition experiences and succeeded in establishing a common understanding of the main challenges ahead.