On 10 April 2019 the Electric Vehicles Industrial Cluster - EVIC presented for the 8th consecutive year its “Kubratov mech” awards for the development of electric mobility in Bulgaria for 2018.
The ceremony was hosted by Dr. Atanas Georgiev from “Utilities” magazine, in partnership with the representatives of EVIC: Iliya Levkov and Ivan Kostov.
The event was held in the context of the Fifth Energy Expert Discussion on Energy Management - Energy Managers’ Forum on Energy, Climate and Electric Mobility.
Among the guests of the ceremony were Krasimir Valchev - Minister of Education and Science, Radosvet Radev – President of the Bulgarian Industrial Association, Lachezar Borisov - Vice Minister of Economy, M.G. Dr. Grudi Angelov - Head of Military Academy “Georgi Sava Rakovski”, Prof. Kostadin Kostadinov - Advisor to the Minister of Education and Science in the field of research and innovation, media representatives, members of the Managing Board of EVIC and partners of the organization, as well as supporters of electric mobility sector.
The newest members of the organization were also accepted: “Saga Tek” Ltd. from Plovdiv, “Beta Smart” Ltd. from Sofia and “Kozloduy NPP” from Kozloduy.
The winners are:
In the “Team Project” category for 2018 the award goes to:
- Energycybersec: Energy Cybersecurity and Smart Cities Partner Platform for the creation the first national platform for energy, cybersecurity and electric mobility.
The platform includes: Military Academy “G. S. Rakovski”, Sofia Development Association, Sofia Security Forum, Bulgarian Nuclear Society and EVIC. The platform shares the vision of supporting the development of analytical content development and energy cybersecurity information, creating sustainable education and training models, innovation and entrepreneurship in this area.
- - “Eljoy” Ltd. and “Elprom EMZ” Ltd., for a partner model of a charging station and electric bicycles, for use in urban conditions. The model started in 2018 in Sofia and was multiplied in the municipalities of Belene and Ivanovo.
In the “Education and Science” category for 2018 the award goes to:
- Krasimir Panchev, for journalism and popularization of electric mobility through the Avtosalon.bg website, covering a wide range of topics related to electric vehicles, hybrid cars, hydrogen cars and those with autonomous control.
- Military Academy “Georgi Rakovski” for the introduction of cybersecurity training program and participation in the Sectoral Council for Electric Mobility. In 2018 the partnership between the Military Academy and EVIC was particularly beneficial. Many events on energy and cyber security, electrical mobility, and more were held in the academy. The new Master’s Program for Energy Cyber Security and Electrical Mobility was created.
In the “Business Achievement” category for 2018, presented by Radosvet Radev, President of the Bulgarian Industrial Association, the award goes to:
- Gotse Delchev Municipality, for the implementation of a model of logistics for the social patronage in the Municipality of Gotse Delchev, with electric car and charging station. The electric car was purchased by the Municipality of Gotse Delchev under the Program for Encouraging the Use of Electric Vehicles within the Climate Investment Program of the National Trust EcoFund. The municipality has also built a charging station for electric vehicles. The aim is to encourage the use of electric vehicles as environmentally friendly vehicles.
- Kozloduy NPP EAD, for the established transport model with three electric vehicles and charging infrastructure of four charging stations – produced in Bulgaria. The NPP promotes electrical mobility and promotes the symbiosis between efficient and clean energy and mobility through electricity.
- “Ride Share Bulgaria” Ltd., for the first car-sharing service in Bulgaria using a fully electric car fleet. SPARK now operates 150 electric vehicles and by the end of the year their number is expected to exceed 300. Besides being very useful in the urban environment, due to the positive effect it has on the traffic and the number of cars in it, it is completely ecological. For a year and a half, the service has become an important part of the transport mix in Sofia. The platform now offers access to 150 electric cars and the areas cover large parts of the city.
- EVN BULGARIA, for a model of electrical mobility in the city of Plovdiv, including electric cars for the EVN fleet and public charging stations located in the central city part. Charging will be free of charge during the first years of the project.
In the “Bulgarian product” category for 2018 the award goes to:
- SIN Cars International Ltd., for the development and official presentation of the first Bulgarian electric car - SIN S1. In 2018 the company presented not only the road version of the first Bulgarian electric car SIN S1, but also the first Bulgarian racing car SIN R1 GT4; the concept of a multifunctional and compact electric vehicle L City, planned for production in our country (a prototype of the same, along with the other cars were also presented at the Motor Show in Geneva in March 2019).
The “Kubratov mech” award for 2018 goes to the Ministry of Education and Science and was accepted by Minister Krasimir Valchev, for the contribution and for the establishment of the first “Sectoral Council for Electric Mobility” as a model for the connection between the business, secondary, higher and vocational education and training corresponding to the needs of the Bulgarian economy.
The Sectoral Council for Electric Mobility was established on the basis of the EVIC educational model for linking business to secondary, higher and vocational education and training. Already more than 300 students from five vocational high schools from all over the country are trained in the new specialty for electric vehicle technicians.
Within the framework of the following expert discussion, the challenges to the energy sector related to the energy and climate goals were discussed, as well as possible solutions to the development of electrical mobility.
