This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.
- Eight countries in Central and Eastern Europe to get more charging stations for electric cars under €35 million EIB loan to network operator Eleport.
- Eleport to add more than 250 new ultra‑fast charging hubs in Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
- EIB financing advances EU environmental and regional-development goals.
Central and Eastern European countries will gain hundreds of new electric-vehicle charging stations as a result of a €35 million loan that network operator Eleport is receiving from the European Investment Bank (EIB). Eleport will use the EIB credit to deploy more than 250 fast-charging hubs at major shopping and commercial centres in Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Each station will feature as many as 12 charging plugs with power of up to 400 kilowatts (kW) per plug, enabling drivers to charge quickly while they go about their everyday activities. Eleport, a rapidly expanding startup based in the Estonian capital Tallinn and already active in Central and Eastern Europe, plans to complete the project by 2028.
The EIB loan advances European Union goals to cut car pollution and promote regional development. Tailor-made financing structures allow the EIB to support promising companies early in their growth journey by taking on higher credit risk thanks to backing from the InvestEU programme.
“Scaling up fast‑charging infrastructure is essential to accelerate the shift to electric mobility and reduce emissions from road transport,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “This operation demonstrates how we can provide innovative, long‑term financing to fast‑growing companies delivering high‑impact sustainable infrastructure.”
Eleport already operates more than 400 fast charging points (DCs) in six countries – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Croatia and is building an “Electric Amber Road“ – a network inspired by the ancient trade routes known as the Amber Road that connected the Baltic and Adriatic coasts. The project will allow cross-border drivers to use a single app for fast charging along the whole network.
“This EIB loan is an important step in expanding reliable, high-quality charging infrastructure across Central and Eastern Europe,”said Eleport Chief Executive Officer Jakub Miler. “Our goal is for electric-vehicle drivers to be able to stop where they already need to be, plug in briefly and move on with their day.”
The project is fully aligned with EU climate goals, classified by the EIB as 100% climate action and environmental sustainability.
The EIB loan agreement is backed by the InvestEU programme, which aims to trigger more than €372 billion in additional investment between 2021 and 2027. The InvestEU programme mobilises investment for EU policy priorities like the green transition, competitiveness, innovation and sustainable infrastructure.
Background information
About EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.
About InvestEU programme
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investments for the European Union’s policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.
About Eleport
Eleport is active in six countries – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Croatia – operates 400 fast charging points (DCs) and is expanding. The company has secured or is negotiating more than 1,000 additional charging points slated for deployment between 2026 and 2028. Backed by international investors and known for its emphasis on premium locations, Eleport has a mission to make electric mobility simple, reliable and accessible throughout Europe.
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This is a significant boost for EV adoption in Central and Eastern Europe! The €35 million loan for expanding charging hubs will make long-distance electric travel much more convenient. Exciting to see continued investment in EV infrastructure across the region!