The electric mobility market has grown exponentially in Portugal in recent years, consolidating itself as a reference model for many European countries, particularly for Spain.
What is the reason for this? Mainly, due to the competitive advantages and facilities available to charging point operators (CPOs).
Under the MOBI.E model, the functions of the energy manager and marketer are separated, allowing CPOs to focus on managing the stations without having to assume the high fixed costs associated with electricity supply.
“By not managing the energy, CPOs can install more charging stations at a lower cost,” Luís Barroso, President of the public entity, told Mobility Portal Europe.
How does this work?
The MOBI.E management platform establishes a direct connection with the energy sector, allowing the latter to deduct the energy consumed in electric mobility from its total supply.
This gives rise to the creation of a specific electricity market for electromobility.
One of the main advantages of this model for operators is that, by not directly managing the network, they are not required to bear the high fixed costs of connecting to the power supply, such as the grid connection costs, which increase in proportion to the charger’s power capacity.
In a low demand context, this acts as an incentive for operators to set up “refuelling” locations, as fixed costs are relatively low despite possible low utilisation.
And this is not the only benefit that CPOs have.
The existence of a single distribution network operator in Portugal simplifies the connection and power management of the stations, allowing them to better plan their investments, as the network operator provides information on its website regarding the location and capacity of all existing connection points.
What role does MOBI.E play in all this?
“The State has decided that MOBI.E will make investments to guarantee at least one charging station in each of the country’s 308 municipalities,” says Barroso.
As a result, the country now has more than 9,300 points, “giving users the confidence that there will always be a station available wherever they go.”
Transparency and accessibility are key points of the public company model.
By being connected to their network, the stations allow both users and operators to be informed in real time about the availability, enabled power and use of the chargers through their website.
In this regard, he comments: “This generates confidence and encourages competition in the sector.”
Grid interoperability is also a factor driving the growth of Portugal’s electricity market.
“Since we started working, we have had full access to the data, which allows us to comply with the AFIR directive ahead of schedule,” says Barroso.
This advantage not only helps CPOs improve their planning, but also enables them to offer better services to clients.
How is electromobility progressing in Portugal?
Data shows that electric mobility is taking off in Portugal.
In August, 583,000 recharges were made on the MOBI.E network, which represents an increase of 66 per cent compared to the same period last year.
In terms of energy consumption, 77,774 megawatt-hour (MWh) were reached, an increase of more than 80 per cent compared to the same month in 2023.
By the end of September 2024, more than 4,264,000 charging sessions had been completed, with a total of 5,209 publicly accessible stations and 9,124 available charging points.
The focus is clearly on high power.
What is the reason? “Due to a mechanism for segregating energy consumption, the CPO does not pay for peak demand charges, which allows them to install more high-capacity charging stations,” explains Luis Barroso.
According to the latest published figures, users have access to approximately 1,762 fast charging stations and 252 ultra-fast charging stations, which make up 37.8 per cent of the total network.
And not only that.
Portugal’s business model also benefits energy marketers (eMSPs).
By providing an expanded market where they can sell energy not only at public stations but also at private facilities, these operators can more effectively retain their customers, as it allows each one to sell energy at all charging stations.
This puts them in a better position to compete and attract users.
What is MOBI.E‘s mission? “To facilitate market development and ensure that electric mobility is an accessible option for everyone,” stresses the president of the public entity.
