Romania’s energy minister buys electric car, can’t use it long distance for lack of charging stations

Romania has a lot more to do to encourage the use of electric cars, Anton Anton, the energy minister said. He explained he purchased an electric car but he couldn’t use it to drive from Bucharest to Constanta, because there are no charging stations on the road to the Romanian seaside city. He said he could use the car for a drive to Ploiesti, some 60 km north of Bucharest, but not for a drive to Constanta, which is more than 200 km east of the capital. The car has a range of some 200 km. “I think it is normal for the energy minister to drive an electric car. I bought an electric car and the first thing I said was ‘Let’s go to Ploiesti’ because the car's range can take us there. Then I said ‘Let’s go to Constanta’ but we stopped. The car has a range of 200 km and the road to Constanta is of more than 200 km. If something happens on the road, we are stuck there because there is no charging station between Bucharest and Constanta,” the minister explained, quoted by Agerpres. He pointed to the need to develop the network of charging stations in between cities not just inside cities. In between January and September of this year, 2,922 electric and hybrid cars were sold in Romania, up 63% year-on-year, according to data from the Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Association (APIA), quoted by Agerpres. Bucharest City Hall will offer vouchers for electric cars, electronics and appliances editor@romania-insider.com