The Transport Ministry and Transport Malta recently took possession of the first BMW i3 ever to be brought over to Malta as part of the ongoing EU-Funded PORT-PVEV project, which is being spearheaded by TM.
The i3 which is BMW's first zero emissions mass-produced vehicle, comes from the first production line since production only started earlier this year. It is also the first vehicle to be exported outside the German and Austrian territory and the first one to be used by any government in Europe.
It will be used mostly in relation to transport activities within port areas by the authority and the ministry. It is one of 13 fully electric vehicles that are being purchased through the EU project, part of which demonstrates electro-mobility.
The project is part financed by the operational programme 'Italy-Malta' Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013 with a total budgetary allocation of €2.5 million.
It will also see the purchase and installation of fast electric car charging infrastructure at TM buildings, the installation of a solar photovoltaic plant on top of the Malta Transport Centre, and the first solar-powered car ports with complimenting electric car charging capabilities at various locations within the Valletta and Ċirkewwa port areas.