Dinos Lefkaritis Jr. on how electric vehicle ownership in Cyprus is becoming ever more viable

"While Cyprus remains behind in EV adoption, it has made remarkable progress in just three years since introducing subsidies,” says Dinos Lefkaritis Jr., President of the Cyprus E-Mobility Association.

The numbers back him up: in 2024, the EV market share in Cyprus nearly doubled from 2.7% to 4%, a significant leap from the paltry 0.69% of 2020. Lefkaritis credits government funding for the progress and this has been the go-to strategy across the EU to offset high EV costs, incentivise manufacturers and, most critically, expand the charging network.

After all, without a charging infrastructure, electric cars are as useful as a sailing boat without a mast. Europe’s decade-long head start with generous subsidies has pushed its EV market share to 17%, underscoring just how much ground Cyprus still has to cover.

“In this context,” explains Lefkaritis, whose association is also new, having only joined the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2024, “the country’s progress in e-mobility is commendable and signals a strong commitment to catching up with the rest of Europe.”

Encouraging subsidies

So, what do these subsidies look like? The most notable is the “Electrification 1,000” grant programme, which has already run in two phases. With a €2.5 million budget, it covers 45% of charging station installation costs. Meanwhile, a new regulation for 2025 mandates that new commercial buildings with 20 or more parking spaces must install at least one EV charger.

Sensing both an opportunity and a sustainability push, the private sector has also stepped in, with supermarkets, shopping centres and fuel stations expanding the charging network. As a result, Cyprus now exceeds the industry-recommended ratio of 10 EVs per charging station, the implication being the infrastructure can support more.

Today, there are 210 public charging points, concentrated in major cities: Limassol leads with 67 stations, Nicosia follows with 46, Famagusta has 43, Paphos counts 37 and Larnaca rounds out the list with 23. These range from AC chargers (up to 22kW) for slower charging to DC fast chargers (50kW–150kW) for quicker top-ups. Additionally, 10 new 100kW fast-charging stations are set to go live by the end of the year. “As these initiatives progress,” he says, “Cyprus is on track to significantly improve its EV charging infrastructure, making electric vehicle ownership more viable across the island.”

Yet, the network remains uneven. While urban centres and tourist hotspots are well covered, the further you venture into rural areas, the harder it is to find a charging point. High-speed charging infrastructure also has gaps, contributing to the dreaded "range anxiety." But let’s be honest. In Cyprus, where the longest drive barely exceeds two hours, the fear of being stranded in some desolate wasteland, wind whistling ominously through the barren fields, is a tad overblown. The real issue might be a lack of awareness.

“This could be due to insufficient knowledge on how to use EV charging stations or where to find them,” Lefkaritis suggests. “The adoption of new technologies – like EVs – is often hindered by a lack of education and cultural readiness.” Then there’s misinformation, readily available online and amplified by urban legends, like EV batteries mysteriously degrading overnight.

Education campaigns

Recognising the need to dispel myths and close the knowledge gap, the Cyprus E-Mobility Association is preparing education campaigns to help potential adopters make informed decisions. For those considering the switch, Lefkaritis has some practical advice: do your homework. Charging stations are easily found via mobile apps and government incentives can make the transition financially attractive.

Another major hurdle is the high cost of grid connections to the charging network. Many potential locations, particularly those owned by municipalities, face significant expenses in upgrading their inadequate load capacity. Lekfaritis stresses that these costs often exceed the price of charging hardware and the installation itself. “The actual hardware and installation costs are manageable, but upgrading grid capacity presents a major financial barrier for municipalities.” Lowering these connection costs and streamlining approvals will be critical to further infrastructure expansion, he notes.

There’s also the inconvenient truth that 83% of the island’s electricity is fossil-fuel-based, which at first glance, appears to undermine the environmental benefits of going electric, much like washing down a healthy green salad with a sugar-loaded milkshake.

Still, experts suggest that with such an energy mix, EVs typically produce fewer greenhouse gases than traditional combustion engine cars. They are also much better at energy efficiency, converting 87-91% of battery power into movement, compared to 16-25% for internal combustion engines.

Of course, EVs have other sustainability issues, like the controversial mining practices of key battery components such as cobalt and nickel. Nonetheless, as renewable energy adoption accelerates in Cyprus improves, Lefkartis notes, so will EVs' sustainability credentials. In 2024, renewables accounted for 23% of Cyprus' energy consumption, which is slightly behind the EU average.

Grid flexibility

Lefkaritis sees grid flexibility as key in enabling better renewables utilisation, which will incentivise more EV charging station installations. “The liberalisation of the electricity market and the introduction of dynamic pricing will also encourage EV charging during peak renewable energy production hours,” he notes. This would allow better utilisation of solar energy from Cyprus’ photovoltaic parks.

Additionally, new grants for energy storage will help balance the grid, making it more accommodating for both renewable power and EV charging needs. “These combined efforts will significantly enhance the sustainability and efficiency of electric mobility in Cyprus,” he argues.

This interview first appeared in the February edition of GOLD magazine. Click here to view it.