Excerpt from Balkan Green Energy News

A community of 1,300 permanent residents in the Aegean will be transformed with carbon-free solutions. Volkswagen agreed with Greece to help abolish fossil fuels in the island of Astypalaia by introducing all-electric vehicles and accompanying systems. Together with the installation of renewables, they are establishing a model that can be applied in Europe and beyond.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy of Greece Kostas Fragkogiannis and Chairman of Volkswagen Group’s Management Board Herbert Diess signed a memorandum of understanding, marking the beginning of a project that lays the foundations for enabling autonomous driving in Astypalaia. The island, located in the southeastern Aegean Sea, was chosen to become a showcase for sustainable mobility and energy independence.

The German automaker said it would first supply and install equipment to enable a complete switch to electromobility and smart mobility. The plan is to replace the current fleet of 1,500 vehicles with electric ones, from scooters to ambulances and light commercial vehicles, and reduce their number by a third.

Photo: Photo: Volkswagen