On the Vilnius–Druskininkai road, near Varėna, Eldrive's third electric vehicle charging hub in Lithuania has opened. It is equipped with five extremely powerful charging stations – as much as 400 kW. Here, drivers will be able not only to charge their electric vehicles quickly in one place but also to enjoy a coffee – the 100th café of the Caffeine chain has opened its doors at this hub.
According to Tomas Tamašauskas, Head of Eldrive Lithuania, this location was not chosen by chance – it is one of the most important southbound routes, used every day not only by local residents but also by holidaymakers and people travelling to Poland.
“We see a clear need – more and more electric vehicles use this road, and until now there has been a lack of modern charging infrastructure here. This hub is the first of its kind on this stretch, and it will provide fast charging and a convenient place for a short stop,” he says.
An equally important highlight is the 100th Caffeine café, which, by symbolic coincidence, has opened precisely in Varėna. The town has special significance for the Caffeine chain – it is home to the coffee roasting centre from which certified organic coffee is supplied not only to all Caffeine and Narvesen cafés in Lithuania but also to the Caffeine and Narvesen networks in Latvia and Estonia. The coffee for roasting comes from organic farms in Colombia, Brazil, Nicaragua and Honduras.
“We are delighted that our 100th café is opening right here – Varėna is the home of our coffee. It is the place from which roasted certified organic coffee travels to the Baltic countries. It is even better that we are marking this milestone together with the Eldrive project – it gives drivers the opportunity to stop and drop in at a familiar café even while travelling. In this way, the atmosphere of a city café moves to the country's main roads,” says Saulius Žilėnas, Head of Reitan Convenience Lithuania, which operates the Caffeine chain.
In the new Caffeine café, drivers will find everything they expect on the road – certified organic coffee, drinks, snacks and the rest of the usual range. For those in a hurry there is one more convenient option: this site also has a Drive Thru service, so coffee or other products can be ordered without getting out of the car.
Significant growth in the number of electric vehicles
Although electric vehicles are still most often registered in the major cities, trends show a change – their number is also growing rapidly in the regions. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, as of 1 June this year, 34,282 electric passenger cars were registered in Lithuania – 18,938 of them battery electric vehicles (BEV) and 15,344 plug-in hybrids. This number has more than tripled over the year.
“We notice that electric vehicles are increasingly used not only in the city but also for longer journeys. According to our data, more than a third of customers charge their electric vehicles in different cities, which means they travel. Infrastructure like that in Senoji Varėna is essential if we want the electric vehicle to become a fully-fledged means of transport throughout Lithuania,” says T. Tamašauskas.
The first Eldrive charging hubs, near Panevėžys and on the Vilnius–Klaipėda highway at the 156th kilometre, have already won drivers' approval. At these hubs, EV drivers not only charge their vehicles but also take a short break with a coffee or a snack. The Panevėžys charging hub was even ranked among the ten best EV charging hubs in the world. It is hoped that the Varėna site will also become one of the favourite stops when travelling south.
