The electric vehicle charging hub – ViruVooluRing – opened to the public on July 1st on the 4th level of the Viru Keskus car park in collaboration with local electric vehicle charging service providers Enefit Volt and Eleport, is designed to accommodate up to 10 cars at a time. In addition, ELMO Rent, the local electric vehicle rental and sharing company, will install 6 more charging stations at the Viru Keskus car park, bringing the total number of charging stations to 16. Theenergy consumption rate of an electric car is considerably cheaper compared to other types of cars – only 2 to 3 euros per 100 kilometres.

 

Gertti Kogermann, the CEO of Viru Keskus shopping centre, pointed out that every one of us can  contribute to the reduction of the ecological footprint through our everyday choices, either by buying local products, sorting waste, choosing products that are not made of plastic or opting for sustainable means of transport. “Investing in environmentally sound solutions is one of our top priorities, and setting up a charging hub for electric vehicles – ViruVooluRing – at the Viru Keskus car park is another step towards making our home town cleaner and greener,” said Kogermann. Currently, Viru Keskus shopping centre in Tallinn is the only one of its kind in Estonia to hold the highest level of LEED O&M certification that recognises high-performance buildings that operate on environmentally sustainable principles.

 

According to Sten Argos, the Director of New Value Creation at Eesti Energia, Estonia’s biggest energy company and parent company of Enefit Volt, electric cars will soon become the new normal on our streets, and consequently, an integral part of the energy system. “Our ambition at Enefit Volt is to make the transition to clean transport as simple and smooth as possible by developing easy-to-use, convenient and smart services that help speed up the uptake of electric vehicles,” said Argos. Owing to these efforts, the share of renewable energy use in Estonia has been increasing annually.

 

Raul Potisepp, the CEO of Eleport, said that the company’s goal is to make the charging of electric vehicles as easy and convenient as charging one’s smartphone. Today, Eleport boasts the most up-to-date electric charging infrastructure in Estonia, servicing all types of electric vehicles. Together with the charging stations at Viru Keskus Eleport’s network will include altogether more than 50 charging stations in Estonia. What is more, the electric energy distributed through this network is 100% locally produced renewable energy. “We would also like to acknowledge Viru Keskus for offering 30-minutes free parking to customers using the new charging hub,” added Potisepp.

 

Compared to conventional cars, the cost of energy consumption of an electric vehicle is considerably cheaper – only 2-3 euros per 100 kilometres. In addition, the total ecological footprint of electric cars is decreasing annually. For example, ELMO (Estonian Electric Mobility Programme) Rent, one of the world’s first electric car rental companies that operates an electric car-sharing system, already saves 8000 kg (8 tonnes) of CO2 emissions per month, directly contributing to more cleaner air in Estonia.

 

“Together with Viru Keskus, we have been investing in environmentally sound solutions through the promotion of electric vehicles for over seven years now, and the Viru Keskus sharing station is our most popular location in the centre of Tallinn,” noted ELMO Rent partner Enn Laansoo, Jr.

 

Background information about the ViruVooluRing electric charging hub at the Viru Keskus car park:

  • the largest electric vehicle charging hub in Estonia, located on the 4th level of Viru Keskus car park
  • ViruVooluRing is open 24/7
  • the charging hub accommodates up to 16 vehicles at a time
  • the charging connectors are compatible with every electric vehicle on the market, i.e. rapid chargers use CHAdeMO and CCS connectors, while slower chargers are equipped with Type2 connectors
  • there are 2 rapid chargers at the ViruVooluRing, capable of providing up to 100 kilometres of charge in only half an hour
  • the first 30 minutes of parking is free of charge for customers using the electric vehicle chargers; for ELMO Rent customers the parking fee is included in the rental fee
  • Enefit Volt’s rapid charger rate is 0.24 cents for 1 kWh, and the rate for the slower charger is 22 cents
  • Eleport’s rapid charger rate is 0.24 cents for 1 kWh, and the rate for the slower charger is 19 cents
  • the cost of fully charging a small-sized electric vehicle falls somewhere between 5 and 7 euros, providing up to 250 km of charge; for Tesla’s the average rate falls somewhere between 10 and 12, providing up to 500 km of charge.

 

The Viru Keskus shopping centre in Tallinn is the only one of its kind in Estonia to hold the highest level of LEED O&M Platinum certification that is awarded for environmentally sustainable operation and management of high-performance buildings. In addition, the centre’s marketing and communication activities have been recognized by nearly 50 awards. The Viru Keskus car park – the site of the new ViruVooluRing electric charging hub – offers the most affordable parking in the heart of Tallinn, and 30 minutes free parking time to users of the new electric charging hub.

Photo credit: Viru Keskus