The leading electric vehicle charging network in the Baltics, Ignitis ON, has agreed with Maxima to build electric vehicle charging stations in Latvia and Estonia, expanding the cooperation that has already been successfully launched in Lithuania. In all three Baltic countries, Ignitis ON charging points will be installed at Maxima stores, allowing up to 300 electric vehicles to be charged simultaneously.
"We are building the leading electric vehicle charging network to provide drivers with a fast, reliable, and convenient service both on a daily basis and during work or leisure trips across the entire Baltic region. We all visit food stores, both near our homes and workplaces, as well as during our travels. The new stations will allow us to combine regular shopping with car charging conveniently. By the end of next year, the electric vehicle charging network at Maxima stores will cover such a vast area that it will seamlessly fit into the route of every journey," says Eimantas Balta, Head of E-Mobility at Ignitis Group.
"The establishment of electric vehicle charging stations at Maxima stores is an important step in our development and one of the sustainability initiatives we are implementing to move towards the company's sustainability goals – promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle, habits, and opportunities for our customers. A large number of our customers come to us by car, and thanks to our collaboration with Ignitis Latvia, our customers will be able to combine the pleasant with the useful this summer – doing both their everyday shopping and charging their electric vehicle at the same time, thus saving not only money on their daily purchases but also the valuable time of every customer. I am confident that the introduction of e-vehicle charging stations will enhance our customers' shopping experience, and Maxima will become a favorite stop on the road to rest, recharge, and purchase desired products," says Viktors Novikovs, Director of the Real Estate Development and Construction Department at Maxima Latvia.
In Latvia, by 2025, 81 electric vehicle charging points will be built at 32 Maxima stores located in 21 cities, providing high-power electric vehicle charging across all regions of Latvia. In Cēsis, Jūrmala, Madona, and Valmiera, there will be four or more charging points available. Meanwhile, Riga will host nine stations with a total of 28 charging points. The largest of these, featuring six charging points, will be located at the Maxima XXX store on Saharova Street.
The charging points will be equipped with both European standard CCS2 and Asian standard CHAdeMO connectors, allowing them to serve a wide range of electric vehicle models. To meet the growing demand for fast charging, all charging points in Latvia will have ultra-fast DC power ranging from 200kW to 400kW. At these stations, the latest and most modern electric vehicle models will be able to charge their batteries from 20% to 80% in just 15 to 20 minutes. Additionally, 12 charging points will provide slower AC charging with a power of up to 22kW, allowing electric vehicles to charge from completely empty to full battery in four to five hours. These points will be suitable for customers who plan to spend more time at the supermarket or in its vicinity and wish to charge their electric vehicle at lower energy costs.
Currently, nearly 110 Ignitis ON charging points are available across Latvia, both in Riga and in the regions. It has already been reported that Ignitis Groupwill invest more than 115 million euros in establishing a fast electric vehicle charging network in the Baltics over the next three to five years, installing more than 2,000 charging points, with approximately half of them already built. The company's goal is to create the widest high-power electric vehicle charging network that connects the Baltic States with Poland and the Scandinavian region. The majority of the charging points will be high-power stations, with a capacity starting at 150 kW.