Estonia is First Country with National Electric Car Charging Network

Estonia is the first country in the world to have a national electric car charging network. The country financed the installation 165 fast charging stations by selling 10 million CO2 emission permits to MitsubishiMitsubishiJapan, 1917 > present72 models
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in 2011. As part of that deal, Mitsubishi also supplied 507 electric carsMitsubishi i-MiEVJapan, 2009 > present4 versions
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to the Estonian government.

"Now is the time to really press the pedal and move forward in electrical mobility. We have proved that there is a real possibility to set up a network in a country, and there are no technical barriers," said program leader Jarmo Tuisk.

The unified system also has a single payment system, which means that users only need to register once to pay for the electricity for their car.

The company hopes that the network and new subsidies on electric cars will increase electric car sales in the country. Other than the 500 cars from Mitsubishi, there are only 119 electric cars in Estonia, which has a population of 1.2 million people. The country’s goals are modest; it hopes to increase private electric car sales to 200 total units by the end of 2013.  

Source: NBC News