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The idea of driving an electric car is getting closer. The Basque Autonomous Community will have a pioneer network of recharging stations for electric vehicles, basic centres for the proper functioning of the initiative.

The Lehendakari Patxi López, the Basque councillor of Industry, Barnabé Unda, the President of EVE, or Basque Energy Board, and Antonio Brufau, who is the chairman of Repsol, signed an agreement on Thursday which will allow the Basque Country to become the first community with a network of electric power stations.

The move will break one of the limits that currently exist in the electric vehicle development. In fact, there are only two countries in the world contributing to the research in that field. Those countries are Israel and Denmark.

Basque PM López said that the agreement is opening "the doors of the future" to Euskadi. "We have companies who are leaders, and working together we can also be world leaders in the electricity distribution sector, which has a great future," he added.

Electric vans to be made in Vitoria-Gasteiz

According to Basque TV channel Euskal Telebista, the Basque Government is already working with Mercedes-Benz to manufacture electric vans in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Bernabé Unda reminded that this is a "pioneer" idea and also said that despite the fact it is being initially promoted by the EVE and Repsol, many technology centres, municipalities, vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, and the energy cluster of the Basque Country will be contributing to the initiative.

A market research is expected for 2010 to decide the most proper spots for the stations. If the deadlines are met, they would become reality in 2011.