The Volkswagen Group has delivered the first electric cars to private customers on the Greek island. A turquoise ID.3 Pure was handed over to its new owner directly at the windmills of Chora, the main town on Astypalea.
Further deliveries included the ID.4 and e-up! as well as the Seat MÓ eScooter 125.
The ‘Smart & Sustainable Island’ project is a joint initiative of the Volkswagen Group and the Hellenic Republic. In the coming years, Astypalea will be converted into an island where the mobility will be smart and sustainable, and the energy system will be completely renewed.
Recently, the Volkswagen importer for Greece Kosmocar and the Municipality launched a recycling initiative aiming at freeing the island from scrap vehicles. The recycling campaign is intended to eliminate the associated environmental impact and at the same time make the island even more beautiful.
Thanos Papagiannis, the first ID.3 customer on Astypalea, says: “E- mobility is a perfect match for Astypalea. The distances here are short, the power consumption is low, and the charging network is now very well developed. I really hope that Astypalea will inspire other regions to increase their efforts for climate protection adopting e-mobility solutions.”
Maik Stephan, Head of Business Development of Volkswagen Group and Project Manager, adds: “Astypalea is a laboratory for the mobility of the future. The island is experiencing the same change as any other region in Europe, only in a much shorter time. With the first private customers driving electric now, word will quickly get around how fascinating e-mobility is.”
