Driving around Mallorca in an electric car: Map shows all charging stations — and how easy driving really is

Driving around Mallorca in an electric car: Map shows all charging stations — and how easy driving really is

More than 400 charging points in the Balearics, many of them in Palma and in the villages

If I walk along the Passeig Mallorca on a cool December morning, I hear the sea from the direction of Parc de la Mar and already see the shimmering charging stations where commuters plug in their cars in the morning. 12°C, a few clouds in the sky — it feels like an island slowly being surrounded by an unobtrusive network of sockets and cables. The Institut Balear de Energia has now brought this infrastructure together on a map: more than 400 charging points in the Balearics, most of them on Mallorca.

The distribution in Palma is clearly visible: spots around the Parc de la Mar (16), on Via Roma (14), Marquès de la Sénia (9), Santa Pagesa (15), Calle Manacor (12), Sa Riera (8), Plaça Major (10), Comtat de Rosselló (9), Eusebi Estada (1) and the Avingudes (11). This does not feel like science fiction but like everyday infrastructure — the charger next to the bakery, the one by the photo shop, the one in the small supermarket car park.

And it is not just the main streets: in almost every village there are charging options. Andratx, Santanyí, Felanitx, Port de Sóller, Alcúdia — whether you live on Mallorca or are on holiday here, you will usually find a station nearby quickly. For longer trips across the island the network is even more important, because distances are short and the charging break can often be combined with a coffee or a short stroll.

Practical: many public charging points can be used with apps or charging cards; the user interfaces often come in several languages and show prices and availability. For tourists this is a big advantage — payments frequently run through international billing systems, and most chargers are accessible around the clock. Exceptions exist in private parking garages or when maintenance is being carried out, but those are the minority.

The city of Palma additionally supports e-mobility with a rule that many drivers like: electric cars are exempt from fees in paid ORA zones as long as they are actually being charged. Important: anyone who unplugs and continues to occupy the space risks a ticket. The rule is simple and fair — it is intended to ensure that charging spaces rotate and remain available.

What does this mean for everyday life on the island? For commuters, for people with small businesses and for holiday planning it means: switching to an electric car is practically feasible here because charging stations are not limited to a few locations. Instead of a long search there is often a quick connection shown on the app, a short walk to the café and a charged car in the afternoon.

The Institut Balear de Energia plays a key role: it consolidates data, makes the locations of stations visible and thereby promotes projects around renewable energies and charging infrastructure. Such maps help planners but also ordinary drivers — they make decisions easier: where do I park? Where do I charge? How long will the spot be free?

A concrete suggestion to increase everyday usability: the map could get more flexible filters — charging power, payment options, current availability — and an option to see short local notes, for example whether a charger is accessible in the rain or whether a nearby café is open. Even better would be a small community function: users could leave short hints such as "charger next to the bakery works reliably" or "fast chargers often free after 10pm". Such tips are often more valuable than dry numbers.

In the end one simple thought remains: Mallorca is small enough that e-mobility becomes practical, and large enough that a good network makes sense. If charging stays as uncomplicated as it is now — with clear signage, functioning apps and the understanding that people free up parking spaces after charging — more and more people on the island will choose electricity over petrol. A benefit for the air, for peace and for the wallet. And for the walk along the Passeig Mallorca: less engine noise, more conversations on the bench next to Parc de la Mar.