Helsinki has proposed new principles for renting city parking spaces to electric car charging operators, known as the ‘Helsinki Model’. The first phase would make 61 new charging stations with 275 charging points available on streets and in public areas. If implemented, the city says the number of public charging points would rise by more than 50 per cent in 2027.
What is proposed
Under the proposal, Helsinki will offer charging point operators the opportunity to rent parking space units for charging purposes. Each charging point is a parking space designated for charging. The Urban Environment Committee was due to discuss the new rental guidelines on Tuesday 20 October. Its decision applies to freely accessible charging points along streets and in the city’s public areas.
Where charging happens today
Most electric car charging points in Helsinki are on private premises, such as car parks of housing companies and workplaces. There are also an estimated 3,000–4,000 publicly accessible charging points, most of them on the premises of commercial operators such as shopping centre car parks and petrol stations. The rest of the public network is in the city’s public areas, mainly along streets.
The city says the public charging network has so far developed at a modest pace. There are currently 441 charging points in public street areas, and some of the spaces reserved for them have not yet been implemented.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Charging points in public street areas today | 441 |
| New charging stations, first phase | 61 |
| New charging points, first phase | 275 |
Timeline and climate goal
- Early November: if the committee approves, the city publishes details of the charging points and the guidelines for operators on its website.
- About one month: operators review the terms, guidelines and available points.
- December: applications open.
- 2027: target for the charging points to be in place.
The city plans to develop the model further and to open the application process annually.
The Helsinki city strategy and climate programme aim for an 85 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. The city says more charging points will help reduce transport emissions and support progress towards its climate targets.