BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Central and Eastern Europe is set to gain hundreds of new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations after network operator Eleport secured a €35 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the bank said, Trend reports.
Eleport plans to deploy more than 250 fast-charging hubs at major shopping and commercial centres across Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Each station will feature up to 12 plugs capable of delivering 400 kilowatts (kW), allowing drivers to recharge quickly while conducting everyday activities. The project is scheduled for completion by 2028.
“This operation demonstrates how we can provide innovative, long-term financing to fast-growing companies delivering high-impact sustainable infrastructure,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “Scaling up fast-charging infrastructure is essential to accelerate the shift to electric mobility and reduce emissions from road transport.”
Eleport, headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, already operates over 400 fast-charging points across six countries and is developing an “Electric Amber Road” — a cross-border network inspired by the historic trade route connecting the Baltic and Adriatic coasts. Drivers will be able to use a single app for fast charging along the entire network.
Eleport CEO Jakub Miler said the EIB loan would help expand “reliable, high-quality charging infrastructure across Central and Eastern Europe. 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 financing, supported by the InvestEU programme, aligns with EU climate objectives and is classified by the EIB as 100% climate action and environmental sustainability. InvestEU aims to mobilise more than €372 billion in additional investment between 2021 and 2027, supporting projects in green energy, innovation, and sustainable infrastructure.
The project underscores the EU’s push to reduce road transport emissions while boosting cross-border connectivity and regional development in the green economy.