Belgium will use street cabinets as charging stations for electric cars

Belgian Telecom company Proximus is going to take further steps towards using its street cabinets as charging stations for electric cars. A pilot project has already been successfully launched in Mechelen with seven charging stations each with two charging points. An initial analysis shows that 4,000 locations in Flanders, accounting for at least 8,000 public charging points, qualify. Also in the rest of the country several thousands more charging stations can be added.

The national roll-out to extend streetcabinets with charging points will soon start in Oudenaarde, and by the end of this year 25 installations should be realised.

By 2030, Flanders should have 100,000 (semi) public charging points, according to figures from Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters. By 2025, the counter should stand at 35,000.

The fact that the streetcabinets can be expanded with charging points has everything to do with the fibre-optic rollout that is in full swing. This frees up space in the cabinets for additional use, but they also have a few other interesting benefits. The cabinets obviously already have electricity in them, which means less digging, and they are in "attractive locations in the city centre".

The company also wants to start installing charging stations in semi-public and commercial areas. This includes car parks, but also hospitals and cultural centres. According to Proximus, "many thousands of cars" could be charged there. To this end, Proximus is conducting "advanced talks with various potential partners in order to be able to grow quickly". The telecom company aims at the end of this summer to finalise "the envisaged partnership".

© BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ - Proximus Chief Technology Officer Geert Standaert and Proximus CEO Guillaume Boutin pictured during a press conference of Proximus on a new stage in the digitalisation in Belgium, in Brussels, Monday 27 June 2022.