Taipei, June 21 (CNA) The European Union (EU) is happy to work with Taiwan to install charging stations for electric vehicles as Taiwan strives to ensure all new cars and motorcycles are electrically powered by 2040, Freddie Höglund, CEO of the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT), said Tuesday.
In his address at the EU-Taiwan Electric Vehicle Conference, Höglund said the ECCT is pleased to see Taiwan's government propose a vision to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and hopes to partner with local governments and industry to work toward the goal.
On accelerating Taiwan's shift toward electric vehicles, Höglund indicated that the EU can provide its experience in the development of various modules and charging technologies, adding that he hopes the government will coordinate with all sectors concerned to build a comprehensive EV charging network.
He stressed that the construction of Taiwan's charging infrastructure should also be compliant with international standards.
In order to accelerate EV sales, it is necessary for businesses to deliver a seamless charging experience to their customers. Thus, cross-ministerial coordination will be integral to Taiwan's EV transition, according to Höglund.
In addition, ECCT members also have performed well in the fields of green hydrogen energy and energy storage and are happy to provide relevant services to help Taiwan's ministries transition smoothly to EVs, Höglund added.
Meanwhile, Thomas Jürgensen, deputy director of the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO), said EVs are one of the solutions to cope with the global shortage of fossil fuels and also an important means of combating climate change.
The European Green Deal sets out a goal to become a carbon-neutral continent by 2050. To this end, the transport sector needs to undergo a transformation, which will require large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, Jürgensen indicated.
When it comes to electric vehicle infrastructure, Jürgensen said the focus should be on charging facilities.
In the EU's 750 billion euro stimulus package, 20 billion euros will be allocated to install EV charging stations with the hope of increasing the number of charging stations in the EU from 1 million to 60 million, according to Jürgensen.
In addition, Industrial Development Bureau Director-General Leu Jang-hwa (呂正華) said in a pre-recorded video that Taiwan's automotive electronics output reached NT$295.8 billion (US$9.94 billion) last year, making it an important partner in the global automobile supply chain.
Currently, some Taiwanese manufacturing companies are trying to enter the booming EV market, Leu said.
For instance, manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Inc. Co. has pushed for the MIH Open Platform to co-develop electric cars with international manufacturers.
In March this year, the government officially published a roadmap to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, including goals that all new scooters and passenger cars should be electric or powered by hydrogen by 2040, Leu added.
Sources:OCAC
