Study to pave way for government car fleet shift to electric

Government will be studying the conversion of the public service car fleet to electric, Principle Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar said.

The study will involve a detailed analysis of the existing car fleet and its use and will also establish what infrastructure is needed to shift to electric vehicles, and how it can be made sustainable.

A public call for the study was published today.

Cutajar said the public service wanted to play its part in reducing traffic emissions.

Studies show the busiest time for journeys is between 7:30am and 8:30am from Monday to Friday, concentrated in central areas of the Maltese islands. These journeys account for almost 11% of traffic on a day-to-day basis.

On a national basis, only 1% of vehicles on the road are electrically powered. The majority of cars (60%) operate on petrol and the rest on diesel.

"Aware of these statistics, the public service understands its need to help bring about change," Cutajar said.