Malta and Portugal signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to introduce the infrastructure necessary for modern electric cars, according to the Resources Ministry.

The memorandum was signed by Resources Minister George Pullicino and the Portuguese State Secretary for Energy and Innovation, Carlos Zorrinho in Lisbon, Portugal.

The two discussed the different sources of clean energy – by 2020 Portugal aims to generate 60 per cent of clean energy while Malta is aiming to have about 5,000 electric cars on the road as part of its plan to cut emissions.

Earlier this year, a Portuguese team of experts who masterminded a pilot network in Portugal, recognised worldwide for having one of the most advanced infrastructures for electric vehicles, visited Malta to share their knowledge.

The Maltese government “proactively” introduced a number of measures in the Budget as incentives for families to buy electric cars, the ministry said.

Those who buy electric cars can benefit from a subsidy of up to €5,000 for the installation of grid connected renewable energy sources. Also, the government cut the annual registration licence for electric cars to €10 from €75.

Climate change Labour spokesman Leo Brincat questioned the basis of the memorandum, especially since the Portuguese experts did not present a technical report to the government.

While describing the memorandum as a “positive” step, Mr Brincat said he had asked a parliamentary question about a report that had to be drawn up by the Portuguese team only to be told they were not briefed to give one.

Also, when he requested a report that was being drawn up by the government-appointed electric cars committee, he was told it was still being concluded.

The ministry insisted it never gave the impression the Portuguese experts had to draw up a brief. The memorandum was the result of a strategy of the technical committee and the experts’ experience, it said.

Also, the committee was rounding up its work and would soon present a draft strategy to the government that would eventually be implemented with the memorandum as its foundation, the ministry said.