Skopje to introduce electric car sharing

North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, will soon introduce a system for sharing electric cars in public transportation as part of efforts to reduce air pollution. Energy Minister Sanja Božinovska and Environment Minister Izet Mexhiti have signed a letter of intent for the project with Slovenian company Avant Car.

Car sharing, a concept involving shared vehicle use, was introduced in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana in 2016. In addition to Slovenia, Avant Car also operates in Croatia and Austria, and is expected to launch the scheme in North Macedonia next year.

Through this initiative, Skopje residents will gain access to modern, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly transportation designed to reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and dependence on fossil fuels, according to a government statement.

North Macedonia faces significant challenges with air pollution, as annual deaths attributed to exposure to PM2.5 particles range between 3,828 and 5,000. Skopje often ranks among the most polluted capitals during the heating season. The electric car-sharing project aims to help address this issue by utilizing 100% green energy for vehicle charging.

Electric vehicles will be charged with 100% green energy

The Ministry of Energy, Mining, and Mineral Resources announced that electric cars will be powered entirely by electricity from renewable sources. This initiative is expected to improve air quality and significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

The letter of intent for introducing the electric car-sharing system with Avant Car was signed by North Macedonia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Izet Mexhiti, and Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Božinovska.

“Our city has been grappling with the impact of urban pollution for a long time. The goal of this initiative is to directly address and reduce carbon emissions and pollution, which is a priority for our ministry. Citizens will have access to more economical transportation without compromising the environment,” stated Mexhiti.

The pilot phase is planned in three municipalities of Skopje

The project implementation will begin with the provision of public and private parking spaces and the installation of appropriate charging infrastructure. The pilot phase is set to cover the Skopje municipalities of Aerodrom, Čair, and Gazi Baba, involving 100 electric cars. Simultaneously, public education and promotion campaigns will be conducted.

Using the service will require a mobile application to locate available electric vehicles, with payment made digitally or via credit card. Rental costs will be calculated based on usage duration and distance traveled.

Pricing will be revealed in February. According to Matej Čer, the owner of Avant Car, the costs will be lower than taxi fares, ranging from 3 to 6 euros for an average ride within the city. A trip from Skopje’s city center to the airport should cost between 10 and 15 euros.

However, not everyone is convinced that electric car sharing will solve air pollution and traffic congestion issues. Darko Arsovski Petrovski from the GoGreen organization told Radio Free Europe that introducing new vehicles will only add more cars to the roads, worsen traffic congestion, and slow down public transportation, while air pollution will remain unchanged or decrease only marginally.

The organization emphasizes that Skopje needs a comprehensive shift in approach, focusing on investments in public transportation, cycling lanes, and pedestrian zones rather than increasing the number of vehicles, even if they are electric.