Romania's Rompetrol Downstream, the retail company of KMG International, opened on Friday its first gas station with electric vehicle charging points as part of a $10 million (8.9 million euro) investment plan for eight such stations by the end of the year.
The electric charging point has one alternating and two direct current points of 22 kW, thus being compatible with any series car sold in Europe and Asia, Rompetrol said in a press release.
The station can charge two cars at the same time, as the service is offered for free to all Rompetrol clients holding electric or hybrid cars. An electric-only vehicle will charge 80% of its battery in just 20 minutes, compared to 7-8 hours if loaded at a regular rate, the company added.
"Even though the electric cars market in Romania is at an early stage,
we cannot ignore the international focus on diversifying energy sources, and we
seek to embrace new technologies in order to develop our range of products and
services and satisfy customers’ needs, while at the same time showing care for
the environment," Rompetrol Downstream general manager Vlad Rusnac said.
The company plans to build seven more gas stations with charging points of 50kW
for electric cars in Bucharest, Campulung Moldovenesc, Baia Mare, Timisoara and
the beltway of Bucharest, among other locations.
A total of 1,183 electric and hybrid cars were sold in Romania in 2016, compared to 496 units in 2015, according to data from Romanian Car Producers and Importers Association, APIA.
Rompetrol Downstream has a network of 740 distribution points, 230 LPG stations, 9,000 cylinders distribution points, 3 LPG filling stations and 6 warehouses. It is part of KMG International (formerly known as Rompetrol), which also operates also Petromidia Navodari and Vega Ploiesti refineries in Romania.
KMGI is owned by KazMunayGas Kazakhstan and conducts major operations in refining and petrochemicals, retail, trading, upstream and industrial services in 11 main markets.
Rompetrol was privatised in 1993 by Management and Employee Buy Out (MEBO) and in 1998 it was bought by a local investor group led by Dinu Patriciu. In August 2007, KazMunayGas acquired 75% of the Rompetrol shares from Patriciu for around 2.5 billion euro
(See News)
