“The future of mobility is stimulating,” MEP Ms Dalli said, emphasising it must rely on ecological and environmental sustainability. “This is a new era; globalisation and climate change necessitate traditional economic models to change for more sustainable ones,” Ms Dalli underlined.

She said that climate change is one of the significant challenges that we are facing and if no action is taken severe consequences might be sparked in economic and political stability. “Industry 4.0 is about digitisation, but it should also take a look at the ecological aspects and sustainability … Mobility and transport will be in the focus of the fourth industrial revolution.

The MEP said that the upcoming years will need to be about turning to zero- and low-emission mobility and that the regulatory framework needs to follow these efforts. She added that for such progress, a mix of EU and national legislation could be beneficial.

“We need a culture and mentality shift” in this regard, Ms Dalli said. She added believes industry players now understand the technologies that are needed to meet the EU’s targets related to lowering CO2 emissions.

She also said that cleaner energy and mobility pilots are needed, for which Gozo could be a “testbed”, further confirming PM Joseph Muscat’s announcement of considering Gozo as a location of carrying out a zero-emission zone pilot.

eMobility to revolutionise transportation

Transport plays a significant role in every society, and transportation has arrived at a crossroads, Jose A. Herrera, Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, said taking the podium after Ms Dalli. Mr Herrera said he believes eMobility will revolutionise how we think about transportation and working as well.

He mentioned that Maltese private individuals are highly dependent on cars, which has dire implications on the environment as well as on people. “We are striving for a cleaner environment,” minister Herrera said, adding that considering the future of infrastructure in Malta, commitment to electric vehicles is indispensable.

“We owe it to our future generations, and it is our duty to offer a better life in the near future,” the environment minister said. He said everybody needs to team up to discuss what can be done for a better future, including policymakers, authorities, manufacturers and market players.

“If we know our systems are failing our environment we need the courage to change,” he concluded.

The post Maltese gov’t promises to push pedal to metal on eMobility first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The first international eMobilty summit could not have come at a better time, according to the prime minister. Malta has experienced unprecedented economic growth in the past six years; the landscape is transforming, so are businesses, which at the end of the day are changing the country, Mr Muscat said.

“We are facing challenges stemming from the progress that we see as opportunities … We are here to discuss these opportunities … We do not shy away from challenges,” Mr Muscat said addressing the auditorium of market players and industry professionals.

He mentioned that two years ago the government started working on a total revamp of the local road infrastructure as part of a €700m project. He added that in the past six years, nationwide emissions have been reduced by 50% due to the changes the government started.

Mr Muscat also voiced certainty that the tunnel between Gozo and Malta will be built, and the government is making efforts to provide free public transport for people passing through the tunnel. At the same time, the Maltese government is planning to launch a pilot on Gozo, trying to turn the sister island into a zero-emission zone.

After turning Gozo into a zero-emission zone, the government would like to replicate this pilot in Malta, which Mr Muscat hopes will serve as a pilot for the whole European Union and the world for introducing electric vehicles in a country, going completely free of CO2 emissions. The prime minister, therefore, appeared to be an advocate of a “nation-wide changeover”.

He acknowledged that the country is heavily-reliant on cars; hence actions are needed to be taken with urgency, to put a stop to pollution. The government has commissioned PwC Malta to carry out a study to see how the changeover can be carried out in the archipelago. Mr Muscat said this study should be published in the upcoming weeks.

Questions that need to be answered comprise of the affordability of electric vehicles, whether a government can restrict the import and purchase of non-electric vehicles, whether the government can incentivise the import and purchase of electric cars and whether the national power grid is ready for an influx of electric vehicles. “People should be able to charge electric cars at home with sensible fees,” Mr Muscat said.

“There are barriers, but innovation should be the key to break down such barriers … We want to be trendsetters in Europe and the world in how we live and work; transport is one key factor,” the prime minister said referring to the government’s commitment to electric mobility.

He once again reiterated that this has to be done accompanied by — if not mixed with — the country’s efforts in being at the forefront of the blockchain, artificial intelligence and other disruptive developments. “We want to see how we can synergise these sectors with eMobility,” Mr Muscat concluded.

The post Malta vows to become flag-bearer in eMobility first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.