Almost every town in the Osona region has chosen electric mobility with Etecnic!
What is the origin of this need?
At the Energy Agency, we have been working on energy transition for 20 years. We know that Osona has an excess of cars, but since it is a region made up of small villages, cars easily become indispensable, leading to most families owning two vehicles.
The classic catch-22 situation kept coming up: “people don’t opt for electric vehicles because there are no charging points” or “there are no charging points because people don’t have electric cars.” This is where the Viladrau City Council took the initiative and became the first to turn electric mobility into a reality by installing the first Etecnic charger, followed by Torelló, Olost, Sant Julià…
Today, I would say that many people have bought an electric vehicle thanks to the installation of these charging points. Seeing cars charging every day turns it into a functional reality that encourages many others to join.
Have all towns in the Osona region received MOVES grants?
Not all of them, but a large majority have. We have some under MOVES I and MOVES II, but the vast majority fall under MOVES III. Other chargers have been deployed through provincial council subsidies, and others using municipal funds.
Under MOVES III, the total subsidies we anticipated in Osona represented 80% under an optimistic view, but ICAEN only awarded us 40%, which caused several proposed charging points (around 6 or 7) to be put on hold.
Municipalities can lease public space to third parties or maintain ownership as a public asset to incentivize and revitalize the municipality. Why did you decide to maintain asset ownership through the ACM framework?
We chose public ownership because it makes no sense to leave the management of energy transition in the hands of well-known brands that have been operating for a long time without achieving their established goals.
The energy transition and EV charging infrastructure for residents in our villages should remain in the hands of a company we trust (for example, we currently assign village spaces to energy communities for them to manage). Obviously, this would not have been possible without subsidies that make installing charging points straightforward, but the fact that Etecnic is a local company heavily tipped the balance for us.
What concerns did you have before implementing our solution?
Charging points present a unique situation because they target a specific, highly connected audience with easy access to social media and digital platforms, bringing both positive and negative implications.
We were initially concerned that nobody would use the chargers, but we transformed that concern into an opportunity to encourage Osona residents to switch. We were also concerned about grid power reaching the sites, because if it didn’t, we would have to establish a new grid connection point = new supply contract = new fixed cost.
What truly concerns municipalities is money—not so much the initial investment, since that is approved in a municipal budget, but the recurring operational costs: paying for contracted power even when idle, maintenance, etc. The ongoing annual expense is more concerning than the upfront investment.
Now that we have a substantial network, we want to establish a public fee ordinance to charge for session usage and cover part of these operational expenses. Except for Calldetenes, all points have been free since installation. Furthermore, when fair pricing is set and service quality is high, users appreciate paid models to protect access and prevent overuse or squatting.
Why Etecnic?
We were familiar with Etecnic before working through the ACM framework—perhaps over 8 years ago—and our first 2 or 3 charging points with Etecnic were not completed via ACM. We discovered Etecnic online and established contact quickly. Ultimately, when a partner provides confidence, peace of mind, proven expertise, and makes things simple, you naturally choose them.
Experience as a regional council
How would you rate your experience with the ACM?
Very straightforward. It is still a public works project, but it can be handled directly since many contracts fall under €15,000. Additionally, the ACM provides legal secretaries and auditors who make administrative procedures significantly easier.
Moreover, the Energy Agency acts as an advisor within the ACM centralized purchasing framework, making the process seamless as we operate on both sides.
And your experience with Etecnic/EVcharge?
We have been working with Etecnic for several years now, and the experience has been very positive. I believe they provide excellent service, and we are pleased because they streamline the process. Several city councils have placed repeat orders, and others plan to do so, such as Sant Quirze de Besora, Orís, Olost…
We have also encountered technical issues that were neither Etecnic’s fault nor ours, but rather related to the electrical grid. In the early years, we weren’t aware that the rural electrical grid is sometimes not prepared for 400V connections. We have 230V three-phase systems, causing charging stations to fail or operate at one-third capacity.
Overall, we are very satisfied. We have 12 municipalities equipped with Etecnic charging stations, and I believe that within a couple of years we will easily double the existing charger count.
Looking at future plans, is this project part of a broader vision?
At the regional council level, we work under the NEO Plan (New Energy Osona), signed by all municipalities in the Osona region, aiming to cut CO2 emissions by 40% for 2027-2028.
It encompasses over 300 initiatives spanning biomass, photovoltaics, electric mobility via vehicle fleet acquisitions, shared mobility, charging points, etc. We envision a scenario where, by 2027, the Osona region will feature 300 charging points (combining public and private networks, currently standing at around 60). We want to build a well-connected region where most councils have charging points (currently, out of 50 municipalities, around twenty have chargers, and the goal is to reach 40-45 towns).
Even if we fall slightly short of the target, it will still represent a major achievement. It is a collective effort across the entire region.
Specifically with Etecnic, the most immediate future plans involve new chargers to be installed in Vic, Sant Boi de Lluçanès, and Malla, followed by many others. Furthermore, leveraging the ACM Framework Agreement, our objective moving forward is to equip all chargers with the complete Etecnic package (Management Software + Preventive Maintenance + 24/7 Remote Support + SIM Card).
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