The international Green Transition 2023 conference this week brought together politicians, ministers, European commissioners, MEPs and businesses including Chariot Motors AD. The event addressed current challenges in the green transition to a low carbon economy.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Bulgarian National Assembly Chair Rosen Zhelyazkov, Deputy European Commission President Maroš Šefčovič, and European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice President Lilyana Pavlova attended the forum. Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira sent video greetings.
A total of 130 panellists from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, and Romania participated in discussions.
The first day focused on energy security and connectivity. On June 21 discussion centred on green financing, the circular economy, industrial decarbonisation, innovation as a factor for competitiveness and sustainability, AI, and the technological revolution. The third day, 22 June, highlighted the future of transportation, digitisation, green cities, and food security.
Chariot Motors CEO Milen Milev sat on the panel Electrification of Transportation and Modernisation: How Fast, How Far? with Sofia Urban Mobility Centre (TsGM) Director Dimitar Dilchev, and Metropolitan Railway Director Stoyan Bratoev. He outlined the benefits of the ultracapacitor technology in Chariot’s fast-charging electric buses and projects the company has implemented in Sofia, other major cities in Europe, and Israel. Currently 71 Chariot electric buses operate in Sofia and the city of Gabrovo has three Ultracapacitor electric buses. Milev expected the trend to electrifying urban transport to continue not only in the capital but throughout Bulgaria.
The TsGM’s Dimitar Dilchev reported the capital had 270 gas and 129 electric buses, alongside trolleybuses, trams, and the Metro. Over the past decade, the Metropolitan Municipality has invested into renewing its public transport fleet and purchases of electric buses to roll-over older units continue. A coming challenge for the TsGM involves constructing energy infrastructure and renewable energy facilities like solar parks to power Sofia’s growing electric bus fleet.
Еvent partners included the Executive Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian-Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chamber of Builders in Bulgaria, the American University in Bulgaria, PanEuropa, the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, Junior Achievement Bulgaria, and many businesses, including Chariot Motors AD.
You can find Mr Milev’s interview in panel Electrification of Transportation and Modernisation: How Fast, How Far? on DIR.BG website or on #ChariotMotors YouTube channel.
