Every public authority rolling out public charging faces the same equation: a fixed budget, thousands of spaces to electrify, and residents who need to charge even without a private garage. If each space costs too much, the plan stalls at a few dozen points.
Barcelona’s challenge
In 2023, Barcelona Serveis Municipals (B:SM), which runs the city’s municipal car parks, had 822 spaces with charging out of 11,898: 7%. With the technology on the market, putting a point in every space was neither technically nor economically viable.
Rather than tender for more of the same, B:SM launched a public innovation challenge under the city’s InnovAcció 2030 programme. The specification asked for a low-cost, easy-to-install point for every space: Type 2 socket, 7.2 kW single-phase, vandal-proof enclosure, OCPP, billing-grade meter, and integration with the municipal charging network and the city’s SMOU mobility app. The target price was €400 per point.
How we solved it
We did not adapt an existing charger. We redesigned it from scratch: all the electronics on one board, a wireless mesh instead of data cabling, and a 24-hour replacement service. More in Inside Wallare.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| March 2023 | Challenge kick-off, awarded through public tender |
| July 2023 | Factory acceptance tests at teknoCEA’s lab |
| February 2024 | Pilot with real users at Plaça Navas: 5 points and a gateway integrated with the municipal network and SMOU |
| July 2024 | Closing report: all requirements met |
| February 2025 | Pilot extended with smart charging |
| Late 2025 | Supply contract for 200 points with B:SM |
| 2026 | 150 Wallare points in service on Endolla Barcelona |
The pilot met 100% of the challenge requirements, and 87.5% of users came back to charge again. B:SM’s closing report put it simply: no point with these characteristics was known in the sector.
What it means for a public budget
Wallare cuts cost per electrified space by 35% and installation material and time by 50%. In budget terms: the same money electrifies roughly 50% more spaces.
Then there is what matters in operation:
- Availability. A faulty space is back in service within 24 hours, with the unit swapped by the authority’s own staff.
- Independence. Each point is an OCPP 2.x station that integrates with the municipal platform or any contracted operator’s, with no manufacturer lock-in.
- Compliance. ISO 15118-2 and Plug & Charge available, as AFIR has required for public charging since January 2026, and ready for ISO 15118-20 and V2G (What AFIR requires).
- Proximity. Designed, built and serviced in Barcelona.
And a new asset: the public fleet
Public authorities also run their own fleets, parked for hours at a time. With smart charging, those vehicles charge when tariffs are low and without exceeding the building’s capacity. With V2G, they can also give energy back to the building at peak times.
What we offer
- A visit to the B:SM deployment, to see the points running in a municipal car park.
- A pilot installation in one of your buildings or car parks, measuring cost and availability on your own data.
- Tender-ready specifications.
Request a visit to the B:SM pilot or meet us on the Tomorrow.Mobility stand at Smart City Expo, 3–5 November.