Electric car recharging stations due next year

The government plans to begin setting up recharging stations for electric vehicles next year.

Officials at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said the government plans to install 300 recharging facilities in areas designated for testing electric vehicles by 2014.

Under the plans, the government will install 50 charging stations in a city where the electric car project is being tested in 2011.

An additional 50 charging stations will be added in the following year, with the same number being added again in 2013. In the final year of the project, 150 charging stations will be built in the areas.



The electric vehicle rechargers will be situated at gas and liquefied petroleum gas stations, government buildings, large supermarkets and other similar locations.

According to officials at the ministry, the recharging stations will be placed at regular intervals to compensate for the fact that current electric vehicles offer only short driving ranges.

In addition, the government plans to subsidize 50 percent of the costs of buying and installing chargers for electric vehicles until 2013.

According to a Knowledge Economy Ministry official, a charger costs about 50 million won ($43,000) and another 20 million won to install the device.

Subsidy programs are also in place in Japan, where similar projects are underway.

In Tokyo, the central and regional governments cover the cost of the devices, and the installation costs are covered by the operator of the facilities. In Kanagawa prefecture, the government covers 50 percent of the cost of rechargers.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy also plans to draw up the detailed plans for securing the recharging infrastructure for electric vehicles during the first half of next year.

(cheesuk@heraldm.com)



By Choi He-suk