Atlante has been selected for the third time to receive a grant from the European Union under the “CEF Transport – Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF)” financing programme, with a grant award of 17.2 million euros.
Under the same European programme, in the second round, the firm was awarded 23 million euros in 2022 and again in September 2023, in the fourth round, with additional funding of 49.9 million euros.
The selection has been approved by the EU Member States and the European Commission.
Under this project, named AtlanteHIT, Atlante plans to install over 700 electrified parking spaces in Italy, distributed across 44 fast-charging centres, of which 32 are for passenger cars and vans, and 12 for heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks, buses, and coaches.
“For the third time, Atlante has submitted to the European Commission a compelling project to promote zero-emission mobility in Southern Europe, leveraging our innovative approach,” states Stefano Terranova, CEO of the company.
“With this third recognition, we reach 90 million euros in total grants awarded to accelerate the deployment of 3,200 charging points along Europe’s most important traffic axes,” he adds.
The firm indicates that this latest funding strengthens its position “as a relevant and active player in the electric vehicle charging ecosystem.”
Each new Atlante charging centre, located along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), will feature 12 or 24 charging points for light vehicles and eight charging points for heavy vehicles, making Atlante’s infrastructure “a key player on the electric charger map in Italy,” which currently has limited fast-charging infrastructure.
Moreover, by introducing fast-charging centres dedicated to electric trucks, Atlante is also addressing the high-emission segment of heavy-duty vehicles.
The company also highlights that the AtlanteHIT project has been endorsed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the company’s Italian implementing partner, confirming its role as a facilitator of access to European resources and development opportunities and as a lender supporting sustainable infrastructure development projects.
100% renewable energy and modular design
All Atlante charging centres will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy and will have a modular design, allowing for flexibility and scalability.
Each station will be equipped with on-site battery storage or will be easily adaptable for it, ensuring efficient management during peak charging hours.
Additionally, the stations will leverage on-site or off-site solar energy production. Once fully developed, all charging points will be fully integrated with national grids, forming one of the largest “Virtual Power Plants” globally, the company states.
The company indicates that creating an extensive network of fast and ultra-fast charging stations in Southern Europe is essential to support electric mobility, allowing electric vehicle drivers to easily recharge their vehicles everywhere, in minutes rather than hours.
Finally, it explains that, according to the “Amendment to the 2022 Universal Registration Document”, these 17.2 million euros from the European Union contribute to the realisation of one of Atlante’s financing plan premises, which is to have 22,000 charging points by 2030, specifically 30 per cent of the annual Capex to be funded through public grants and financing programmes.
