Frem and Issa Launch the First Smart EV Charging Network in Lebanon

As part of a responsible initiative to promote a sustainable environment, Lebanese MP Neemat Frem, President of INDEVCO Industrial Group, launched “EV ZONE”, the first Smart Electric Vehicle Charging Network to be deployed across Lebanon. This initiative is a result of the cooperation between "Phoenix Energy", member of INDEVCO Group, and "IPT Energy Center” represented by its president Dr. Tony Issa.

The event, held at Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut under the slogan “Charge Everywhere – Li 2anno Ta2etna Ma Bto2ta3ak” (you’ll never run out of energy), was attended by a crowd of political and industrial figures, economic bodies, specialists and interested persons, in addition to representatives of media outlets and associations; deputies Razi Hajj, Ghada Ayoub, Alan Aoun, Ibrahim Moussawi, Amin Sherri, Jamil Abboud, Abdel Aziz Al-Samad, and Elias Hankash, former ministers Fadi Abboud and Alain Hakim, the President of the Mediterranean Businessmen Union Jacques Sarraf, and Mr. Hassan Hussein Al-Husseini were among the attendees.

The purpose of this initiative is to encourage the use of electric cars and clean alternative energy sources, and to keep up with the development in the field of eco-friendly transportation, in light of the fuel crisis that Lebanon has been facing for years and the dramatic increase of gasoline prices.

This smart electric vehicle charging network, the first in Lebanon, is the result of an exemplary joint venture that represents the foremost step towards promoting the use of clean energy sources and reducing carbon emissions and pollution. It is part of the flurry of creative and pioneering projects implemented by Phoenix, a leading company in the field of technology, engineering and electrical solutions, through which deputy Frem has presented his previous initiatives, such as the beautiful wooden houses that are in harmony with the picturesque nature, the waste recycling project and clean energy production. Not to mention the creation of respirators in line with international standards to respond to the needs of hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the whole world was facing a shortage in such devices, in addition to other creative ideas worthy of Lebanon and its people.

Issa

After the projection of a documentary about this project and the goals of Phoenix Energy and IPT, Dr. Tony Issa spoke about “a distinguished and unusual partnership with one of the major industrial groups in Lebanon and the world.”

"With the IPT Group reaching a significant size in the oil sector in Lebanon, its expansion in the Gulf countries, and its investments in Europe, this partnership with INDEVCO, which is a pioneer in the implementation of huge and diverse projects in the field of renewable and clean energy through Phoenix Energy, comes at the right moment,” he said.

“The importance of this partnership lies in diversifying energy sources – especially clean and renewable energy -- in conformity with global progress and the United Nations Sustainability Goals, and in establishing a much-needed modern infrastructure for the electric cars market in Lebanon," he explained.

He also confirmed that “the collaboration with Phoenix Energy places IPT on a transformational path, turning it from an oil company into an energy company.”

 “The fact that INDEVCO Industrial Group is headed by an exceptional personality who far exceeds the limits of leadership and excellence in the world of industry and business is the main reason for the partnership. Practical experience has shown Neemat Frem’s unusual approach on both personal and professional levels. His commitment to Lebanon and the human being always prevails, even over his businesses. He is a committed person who strongly believes in moral and value-related principles and social responsibility… This pushed us to follow the example of this school founded by George Frem and his brothers,” he concluded.

Frem

In his improvised speech, deputy Neemat Frem greeted the ministers and deputies who were present, saying that they all have “a great responsibility to shoulder.”

He then addressed the industrial and economic figures, as well as the private sector representatives, reminding them that “experience has taught us to turn every crisis and threat into an opportunity for success, just like Phoenix Energy previously did with the launch of the Ventilators, something that no other Mediterranean country could do.”

"We truly believe that if we don’t give up, the Lord will always meet us halfway. We don’t have electricity; our institutions are disintegrating... Shall we leave everything and leave? Never, we will strengthen our resolve to change our reality and destiny," he confirmed.

Frem then explained that this project was inspired by Michelin Tires’ idea to launch tire-changing stations alongside famous restaurants in France to ensure people’s comfort.

“This electric vehicle charging network, founded by the private sector,

creates a platform for a wide promotional and marketing network that includes all sectors and institutions contributing to this project,” he went on saying. “Within a year, we will have hundreds of electric charging points; advertisements by restaurants, malls and supermarkets will help subsidizing the kilowatts’ price in order to attract customers. Thanks this creative method, we will turn the electricity outage crisis and the fuel crisis into an opportunity for Lebanon to be the country with the largest charging network in the world, and thus to be one of the top countries with most EVs per capita, especially that Lebanon’s beautiful environment invites us to do so.”

Frem then considered that transferring the excellence of the Lebanese private sector to the public sector is “a national duty and mission, because the Lebanese are brilliant in everything they do.”

“While we are witnessing the second birth of Lebanon, we say that we want a president who can fix the broken car that we’ve been towing for nearly 40 years. The public sector is a broken car and the private sector has been towing it for decades, but we must not lose hope in that car. We do not need a president to drive it; we need someone able to fix it before taking the wheel.  We need creative and constructive engineering thinking that puts good spirit alongside professionalism. This is how we want the public sector to become. We want a homeland that resembles its people, and this will begin when we will say loud and clear that we are the ones to make our destiny. Today, we are drawing our country’s next hundred years and we want them to be worthy of our children. Nothing less,” he concluded. 

After congratulating Phoenix and IPT teams, the General Manager of Phoenix, Eng. Rabih Osta, answered the questions of the attendees.

He declared that “50 EVCSs will be set up in the first phase, and this number will reach 150 by the end of the current year with much more stations to be installed afterward.”

As per Osta, the EVCSs will be installed in gas stations, shopping malls, supermarkets, restaurants, and cafés. He also pointed out that electrical recharge is far cheaper than gasoline, with cost depending on the size of the car engine.