How often have I reported on the atrocity of congested roads in Malta? Demanded change to the transport system on the island? More than a few times. I have recently caught on to a small but important change on the horizon. A new car sharing company has gone onto the market. With a fleet of 150 electric vehicles, this new system is intended to remedy the chaos that is traffic here. It is one of the first car-sharing systems in Malta and is therefore a milestone in what is the seemingly complicated science of transport here.
Malta’s Electric Car Quota To Benefit From GoTo
The government plans to reach the quota of 5,000 electric cars in Malta by 2020, with 150 of those vehicles being “planted” by GoTo in Malta. Transport Minister Ian Borg was extremely satisfied with this new development. The whole of Malta could be very satisfied with these investments of over €8 million. GoTo belongs to the Israeli company Car2Go, run by CEO Gil Laser.
No Pesky Rental Centres
The special thing about GoTo is that there are no rental centres to contend with. That means no waiting in line, just hop in and go! In Germany, BMW and Mercedes are already known to provide these services- their vehicles can be found throughout a city and can park anywhere (within a certain radius). This concept should also be implemented in Malta. A particular challenge is the lack of available parking space. Motorists here face this difficulty to an extreme on a daily basis. Therefore, the company wants to create 450 extra parking spaces where the vehicles can be parked. Furthermore, 225 charging stations for the electric cars are to be stationed around the island to provide ease of recharge for costumers.
Potential For Mass Savings In Private Households
The pricing system proposed is very simple. With a monthly fixed amount of €7 you gain access to the GoTo car sharing membership, plus €0.28 per minute driven. GoTo bypasses a kilometer-dependent flat rate, a system which would make little sense on an island 27 km long and 14.5 km wide. According to the company, a private household could save up to € 3,800 when compared to the total cost of owning a car.
Although I do not believe that all of the Maltese will immediately jump for joy – they love their cars too much – I would regard this as an important step, as well as the correct step, towards fixing the island’s vehicular infrastructure.
