There will be 170 charging stations at the Parque Arauco Kennedy Mall
- The collaboration, which looks to promote the use of electromobility in the country, is framed within the Sustainability Strategy that the mall operator is deploying at the regional level and furthers Enel X Way's Electroroute plan, aimed at connecting Chile through electric charging stations.
Santiago, March 30, 2023 – Parque Arauco S.A., along with Enel X Way, inaugurated the “Green Park” at Parque Arauco Kennedy, the largest public electric vehicle charging station in Latin America, as the shopping center becomes the first in Chile to provide this type of space for public use.
The new space will have 170 JuiceBox socket charging stations located on parking levels -1 and -2 of the Parque Arauco Kennedy Mall (Rosario Sector).
During the day, a large number of charging stations will be available for use by mall customers, while at night, these will be used exclusively by 170 Kia Niro electric cars, which will be managed by Tucar and available for rent by Uber drivers. The JuiceBox socket charging stations have a power of 7kW and allow for full charge in just a few hours.
This project is the result of an alliance between Kia Chile and Inversiones Security to promote electromobility in the country through the acquisition of electric vehicles. Within this context, Enel X Way has come on as a strategic partner in the installation of the charging infrastructure in the Parque Arauco Kennedy mall parking lot.
The government's “National Electromobility Strategy” establishes that by 2035, only electric vehicles will be sold in Chile, and for that to happen, there must be sufficient charging infrastructure ready to receive them, and there must be incentives to develop electric transport, which is fundamental to the decarbonization plan and the development of resilient cities.
Benjamín Del Sante, Operational Excellence Manager for Parque Arauco Chile Division, affirms that “we are looking to implement innovative services within our shopping centers that improve the experience of our guests and respond to the city's current needs. In 2022, EV sales grew by 106% and the number of electric vehicles is expected to continue along a path of sustained growth. This is why it makes a lot of sense to implement this charging center at Parque Arauco Kennedy as a way to help reduce the environmental impact and contribute to the challenges faced by the country in this matter.”
Meanwhile, Ximena Bedoya, Corporate Head of Sustainability for Parque Arauco S.A., states that “as part of our sustainability strategy and its environmental pillar, we promote the use of our assets for the development of spaces and actions that allow us to facilitate the use of low-emissions transport in order to contribute to the city's decarbonization process. This milestone is directly linked to the company's climate strategy, in which we were also able to close out 2022 with 78% of our total consolidated energy consumption in Chile, Peru, and Colombia coming from renewable sources, which is fundamental to the reduction of the direct emissions of our shopping centers.”
Andrés Pizarro, Sales Manager for Enel X Way Chile, says that "By the end of this year, we are hoping to have two other projects like this one, with at least 50 charging stations each, in addition to 90 other fast charging stations in Santiago and other regions. At the same time, we are working to add 2 power stations, both inside and outside Santiago. Here at Enel X Way, we have set a goal of connecting Chile through 1,200 electric charging stations by 2026. Today, our Electroroute project is 45% complete.
All charging stations are powered by 100% renewable energy thanks to a contract with Enel Generación. To use the charging stations, customers must have their Enel X Way RFID card and/or download the free Enel X Way App, where users can interact with the smart charging platform for easy use and payment and total control of the charging experience.
Juan Pablo Lira, CEO of AGF Security, a Banco Security subsidiary, comments that “this alliance allows us to promote the use of electric vehicles as a sustainable alternative. Here at Security, we are convinced that this is the future of transport, so we will continue to explore opportunities to offer investment alternatives that are aligned with our Sustainability Policy and our commitment as signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment.”
Sebastián Russi, CFO of Kia Chile, notes that “the creation of this Fund responds to Kia Chile's need to actively participate in the e-mobility business. We are convinced that the world of mobility has changed, and with it, the way we do business. The record sales we have seen recently is proof that we are on the right path.”
According to the National Automobile Association of Chile (Anac), sales of zero- and low-emissions vehicles reached saw record numbers in 2022, with 6,904 units registered, representing an increase of 106.2% over the previous year. In December 2022, there were 609 units registered, representing a 57.8% growth over the same month in 2021. This can be largely explained by an increase in the available offer of zero- and low-emissions vehicles in the country in 2022, with 95 new models for sale.
During the coming years, Anac foresees a progressive increase in the number of units registered. In 2023, it projects 12,723 units registered, for an increase of 84%, in 2024, 24,837 units for an increase of 95%, and in 2025, 29,657 zero- and low-emissions vehicles, for a 19% increase.
About Enel X Way
Enel X Way is Enel Group’s new company entirely dedicated to e-mobility. Enel X Way currently operates in 16 countries and manages around 380,000 charging stations, with interoperability agreements active throughout the world. As a global platform for e-mobility, Enel X Way focuses on the development of technologies and flexible charging solutions to improve customer experience, enabling the electrification of transport for consumers, companies, cities, and public administrations.
About Parque Arauco
Parque Arauco currently owns 1,122,500 m2 of total Gross Site Area in Chile, Peru, and Colombia. The company inaugurated its first shopping center in Chile in 1982, entering Peru in 2005 and Colombia in 2008. The company’s assets include 18 regional malls, 10 neighborhood shopping centers, 7 premium outlets, 21 strip centers, and 9 other real estate assets, such as medical centers, offices, and hotels, in Chile, Peru, and Colombia. For more details, visit the company's website: www.parauco.com