Aparcaments BSM

The construction of a BSM car park at the Mercat del Peix, as part of the Ciutadella Knowledge Hub, has enabled the recovery of 40,000 m3 of sand, which will be used to replenish Sant Sebastià beach through a joint initiative between Port de Barcelona and BSM

The construction of the new Districlima cooling plant at Bogatell also involves the recovery of an additional 8,000 m³ of sand, which will be deposited on Llevant beach and in the dune area of Mar Bella beach

The recovery of sand during coastal works and its subsequent strategic distribution are measures that help safeguard the city's beaches and enhance their resilience against sea storms

These sand recovery and replenishment measures are aligned with the goals of the Climate Plan, the municipal government's roadmap, which includes a €1.8 billion investment to make Barcelona a more resilient and carbon-neutral city by 2030

Three beaches in Barcelona will be replenished with 48,000 m³ of sand sourced from two projects on coastal land. First, the construction of the BSM car park at the old Mercat del Peix, as part of the Ciutadella Knowledge Hub, has yielded 40,000 m³ of sand. Meanwhile, the construction of the new Districlima cooling plant at Bogatell has extracted an additional 8,000 m³ of sand. The sand will be distributed across Sant Sebastià beach, a measure carried out by Port de Barcelona in collaboration with the City Council, as well as Llevant beach and Mar Bella beach. 

The construction works for the Mercat del Peix, one of the five strategic projects that will make up the Ciutadella Knowledge Hub, have uncovered large amounts of high-quality sand, particularly during the excavation process for the future BSM Ciutadella Knowledge Hub car park. This car park will be situated directly beneath the planned research and innovation complex, which is set to be built on the site of the former market, between the streets Wellington, Villena, Ramon Trias Fargas streets, and Avinguda Icària. 

This sand, of high quality, is commonly found beneath the Barcelona coastline and originates from the sedimentary deposits of the Quaternary period. The sand, having passed all quality tests and analyses, will be deposited on Sant Sebastià beach, which is protected by the Sant Sebastià breakwater. This structure, extended by Port de Barcelona, helps prevent sand loss from the beach.

The proximity of the car park construction site to the beach, about 2 kilometres, will also mitigate the environmental impact of the transport. The project is expected to take around two months and will affect part of the promenade and the bike lane.

The second project which has also enabled the extraction of high-quality sand is the new Districlima cooling plant, currently under construction near Bogatell beach, which will expand the existing heating and cooling network. This type of infrastructure supports the city's progress in the energy transition, positioning it as a key producer and manager of its own resources. It allows for the use of local energy resources, waste recovery, and the use of renewable and residual energy sources. In addition, for these kinds of infrastructure, proximity between the energy generation source and consumption centres represents a major advantage in planning energy self-sufficiency in urban spaces. 

This project has recovered 8,000 m³ of sand, which will mainly be placed on Llevant beach, one of the areas most affected by marine storms in the city. Additionally, sand will be added to the dune area of Mar Bella beach, one of the critical points for beach erosion. This project is expected to last approximately one month.

The sand on the beaches plays a clear role in protecting the coastline from marine storms. Municipal teams have calculated that the city's beaches lose around 30,000 m3 of sand annually, and certain areas of the beach lack sufficient sand to provide adequate protection for the coastline as well as the infrastructure, such as drainage systems, the promenade, lifeguard towers, showers, and furniture.

Measures to progress towards the goals of the Climate Plan 

Both the Mercat del Peix and Districlima projects are initiatives that will contribute to achieving the goals outlined in the Climate Plan, particularly in terms of sustainable mobility and the energy transition.

»    A new car park model that meets the evolving needs of the public

The new BSM Ciutadella Knowledge Hub car park, spanning over 6,000 m², will be the first to be designed as a genuine mobility hub, both in terms of the services it will offer and its architecture and design. This new parking concept goes far beyond vehicle parking, integrating value-added services that respond to new habits and social needs, such as online shopping, electric mobility, and shared mobility.

At the level of construction, this new conceptualisation involves a much more open definition of space, with flexible-use areas and higher ceilings that allow the entry of all types of vehicles.

The construction of the BSM Ciutadella Knowledge Hub car park will involve a total investment of €22.2 million, with €10.7 million provided directly by BSM, and the remaining amount provided by other participating operators.  

»    Sustainability, one of BSM's core lines of action

Sustainability is one of BSM's global strategic lines. In accordance with its aim of making Barcelona more sustainable, the company takes an environmental, social and good governance approach to all its experiences and activities.

This commitment can be seen in its promotion of actions designed to reduce emissions and the use of resources, and also have a positive social impact, as well as in the sustainable management of all its premises.

BSM has received many seals and certificates for its commitment to sustainability. In the field of responsible tourism, the Anella Olímpica, Park Güell, Barcelona Zoo and Tibidabo have the Biosphere certificate, which is awarded to companies committed to environmentally friendly management models that also ensure a social return on their activities. 

Furthermore, BSM's activities are backed by its SGE21 certification, which includes environmental, social and good governance aspects; ISO 14001 certification, which validates environmental management; and the certificate awarded under the European EMAS regulation on eco-management and auditing.

»    Third Districlima plant, reinforcing the city’s heating and cooling networks

The new Districlima plant, with an investment of €44.4 million, is located in the Poblenou district. This network, which currently has two operational plants, one located at the Fòrum and the other on Carrer Tànger, helps prevent the emission of approximately 26,000 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere each year.

Districlima is a public-private company founded in 2002 to introduce, for the first time in Spain, an urban network for the distribution of heating and cooling, used for heating, refrigeration, and domestic hot water. In 2005, the network was extended to the 22@ technological district, and the construction of a third plant has now commenced. 

Heating and cooling networks offer significant energy efficiency improvements compared to individual systems. It is an energy-efficient system that also saves water, reduces noise, lowers vibrations, minimises CO₂ emissions, and cuts maintenance costs.

Connecting new buildings to these networks is beneficial for climate and environmental purposes, as it is seen as a preferable alternative to other cooling and heating systems. The city currently features the Districlima network, serving the Forum and 22@ areas, alongside the Ecoenergies network, which operates in the Marina del Prat Vermell area and includes a planned extension in La Sagrera.

The Aparcaments BSM Network of car parks will feature 13 battery swapping stations for electric cars and motorbikes that take Silence batteries 

This strengthens the pilot project launched by BSM and Silence, ACCIONA’s electric vehicle brand, to promote a more sustainable and planned-out approach to urban mobility

BSM and Silence are furthering their partnership to promote sustainable mobility with an agreement that will consolidate and expand the availability of battery-swapping stations in the Aparcaments BSM Network, the city’s largest car park network with a total of 43 sites. 

The Aparcaments BSM Network is deepening its commitment to transforming car parks into service hubs that go beyond vehicle parking and adapt to residents’ new habits and needs. 

The five-year agreement signed with Silence, ACCIONA’s electric vehicle brand, will triple the current number of battery-swapping stations at Aparcaments BSM car parks, increasing from four to 13 stations. These batteries are exclusively for electric cars and motorbikes that take Silence batteries. 

Specifically, the four battery-swapping stations launched in 2023 as part of a pilot project will be reinforced, and nine more will be added in early 2025.  

The new battery-swapping stations will be located at the BSM Marquès de Mulhacén, BSM Passeig Maragall, BSM Tanatori les Corts, BSM Plaça del Fòrum, BSM Sant Genís, BSM Rambla Poblenou, BSM Avinguda Gaudí, BSM Mitre-Putxet, and BSM Litoral Port car parks, joining the four car parks that already have one (BMS Cotxeres de Sarrià, BSM Plaça Navas, BMS Gràcia Motos, and BMS Illa Borbó).

At these battery-swapping stations, users who have signed up for Silence’s shared battery system can take a charged battery and leave a depleted one, saving charging waiting time. The Silence app, Battery Station, can be used to find and reserve batteries.  

‘This agreement is a step further in transforming Aparcaments BSM into mobility service centres that adapt to and address residents’ new habits and needs,’ says Laia Bonet, first deputy mayor and president of BSM. ‘The agreement with Silence is also a good example of how public-private partnerships help tackle some of the challenges facing e-mobility, such as reducing charging times.’ 

The head of the Aparcaments BSM Division, Mireia Coma, welcomes the opportunity to carry out a pilot project with Silence. ‘A year on, we have found it to be a win-win for both parties,’ she says. ‘The use of the battery-swapping stations has steadily increased, enabling the establishment of a long-term agreement between Aparcaments BSM and Silence to expand the service to nine more car parks, bringing sustainable mobility options to as many people as possible.’ 

‘The locations offered by Aparcaments B:SM are unbeatable for users of battery-swapping stations in Barcelona,’ says Pepe Martí, head of Battery as a Service at Silence, who also highlights ‘the convenience of the service facilities, as well as BSM’s eagerness to work together to provide the best solution for our clients.’

Usage has quadrupled in just over a year

This agreement follows the success of the pilot project launched by BSM and Silence, which enabled the testing and evaluation of these battery-swapping stations within the Aparcaments BSM Network. 
In just over a year, the four battery-swapping stations tested have recorded more than 9,500 uses, increasing from an average of 7 daily uses in the first few months to over 25 daily uses in recent months. This exponential growth demonstrates the public’s interest in electric vehicles, particularly in this battery subscription system. 

Aparcaments BSM, leading the way in new urban mobility 

The aim of BSM is to improve people’s quality of life by creating positive experiences to build a healthy and pioneering Barcelona. One of its goals is to contribute to the shift towards a more sustainable, planned-out, connected and shared approach to mobility. 

The company is currently in the process of gradually transforming the car parks in its network into spaces that go beyond vehicle parking to include new urban mobility services and solutions, always with users in mind. 

These changes, all of which are based on digitalisation and the use of new technology, reflect new social habits and needs related to the transition to e-mobility and the expansion of new forms of personal mobility. 
 

The car park is now fully operational, featuring the new branding of the Aparcaments BSM network of car parks, enhanced comfort, and added services designed to address the evolving needs and habits of the public  

The new features include a Bicipark and a parcel collection point, as well as LED lighting and the monitoring of all parking spaces 

The Aparcaments BSM network of car parks has continued to expand its new model with the reopening of BSM’s Avinguda Gaudí car park. The parking facility, located near the Sagrada Família and the Sant Pau Modernista Complex, has resumed its minute-based parking service following the completion of structural renovation works that began in May 2023, enhancing its overall comfort. 

With 8,640 m² spread across three levels and a total of 220 car spaces and 108 motorcycle spaces, the parking facility is now fully operational, featuring all renovated installations, the new branding of Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) car parks, and a range of services that go beyond just vehicle parking, addressing the evolving needs and habits of the public. The total investment was 4.2 million euros.

More Endolla Barcelona charging stations, along with space for bicycles and parcel collection  

Sustainable mobility is at the heart of the new BSM parking model. As such, BSM’s Avinguda Gaudí car park has added 10 new Endolla Barcelona charging stations, bringing the total to 18 —13 for cars and 5 for motorcycles. It also includes a Bicipark with 56 spaces, complementing the 10 secure bicycle storage areas already available within the Aparcaments BSM network of car parks. 

In line with this aim of promoting emission-free mobility, the car park has introduced a specially designed area for parcel collection. It is located on level -1 and features Click&Collect lockers as well as bins for sorting paper and plastic. This new area is open to the public 24/7 for order collection or drop-off and seeks to offer local residents and workers a sustainable alternative to home delivery of online purchases. 

The car park is equipped with monitoring for all parking spaces and a smart LED lighting system 

The upgrade of the car park has also enabled the addition of technological improvements, such as the parking space monitoring system that BSM recently introduced at its newly opened Litoral Port car park. This pioneering technology allows the car park staff to remotely monitor occupancy levels, while also providing live footage of each individual space.

The number plate recognition system for entering and exiting the car park has also been optimised. This option is also available for motorcycles that are registered with SMOU, meaning that there are now 20 BSM car parks which, through SMOU, allow motorcycles to enter without having to first collect a ticket.

Another notable change is the new lighting, based on LED technology, which makes the whole facility brighter and more comfortable and also adjusts its colour to match each floor. Furthermore, the brightness depends on whether or not there is activity in the car park, contributing to energy savings.

A Customer Space has been created with the car park users’ experience in mind. This customer service area is located at the entrance of the car park, in the former control room, providing a welcoming environment where users can receive in-person assistance if they have any issues. The space also has an interactive screen that provides video-call service when the office is closed.

Altogether, this makes the car park experience more convenient, efficient, and user-friendly, as well as safer.

In addition to the structural, technological, and service improvements, the car park also features the new branding of the Aparcaments BSM network of car parks, unveiled last June at the opening of BSM’s Litoral Port car park. 

This new visual and graphic identity, with its light and fresh tones, conveys the values and dynamic role that BSM car parks aim to represent in a Barcelona that increasingly embraces electric mobility, shared vehicle usage, and more efficient goods distribution.
 

The next generation of car parks is embracing new sustainable mobility solutions and an approach to space design that offers an easier, safer and more convenient customer experience

BSM’s Litoral Port car park is reopening with a new look and new spaces specifically for services such as Endolla Barcelona, Bicipark and parcel collection 

New LED lighting will contribute to a friendlier and more sustainable car park, where all parking spots are monitored 

BSM’s new car park model will gradually be deployed throughout the network 

Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) is presenting its new car park model with the reopening of Litoral Port. This car park, with an entrance and exit on Avinguda del Litoral by the Port Olímpic, is the first to feature the new look of the Aparcaments B:SM network, the largest in Barcelona with 43 car parks throughout the city’s neighbourhoods. 

The renovation of the Litoral Port car park, with a surface area of more than 5,600 m², has made it possible to provide spaces for services that go beyond vehicle parking and address city residents’ new habits and needs. These new services are provided in addition to 183 parking spots for cars and 14 for motorcycles, spread across two floors. 

The project, which was completed over two years and involved an investment of €3.2 million, has made the Litoral Port car park the first in the Aparcaments B:SM network to revamp its facilities and brand identity and expand its services in order to prioritise users and adapt to an increasingly digital, sustainability-conscious Barcelona. 

The new BSM car park model, which involves a modern design, a new range of services and a new concept of space that puts customers first, will gradually be deployed throughout the entire network. 

The Litoral Port car park will also be the first in the network to run partially on renewable electric energy generated by the Port Olímpic’s solar panels. This is expected to happen in 2026, when this installation will provide electricity to other BSM facilities beyond the port, making it the largest shared self-consumption photovoltaic installation in the city.  

Preferential area for charging electric vehicles and an exclusive space for bikes

The new car park model prioritises sustainable mobility. That’s why Litoral Port has a single well-marked area for 16 Endolla Barcelona (the city’s e-mobility network) charging stations. More specifically, the space includes 12 charging stations for cars and 4 for motorcycles, in addition to the 1,000 stations that Endolla Barcelona is already operating throughout the city.   

The Litoral Port car park also has a Bicipark with 30 spaces, bringing the total number of Aparcaments B:SM’s safe, exclusive bicycle parking sites to 10. Like the rest of Biciparks, this space will have video surveillance, and to access the area, individuals must be registered Aparcaments B:SM bicycle members or users of the per-day or per-hour bicycle parking service.

A pioneering monitoring system and a new customer service space    

As for technological improvements, the car park incorporates digital devices that provide information in a dynamic, user-friendly format.

It also has an innovative monitoring system for all spaces, featuring pioneering Aparcaments B:SM technology that gives car park staff remote access to information on occupancy level, while also providing live footage of each parking spot.   

Furthermore, the number plate reading system allowing vehicles to enter and exit the car park has been optimised. This option is also available for motorcycles that are registered with SMOU, meaning that there are now 19 BSM car parks which, through SMOU, allow motorcycles to enter without having to first collect a ticket. 

Another notable addition is the Customer Space, which replaces the control room and is located at the entrance to the car park, offering a welcoming environment where users can receive in-person assistance if they have any issues. The space also has an interactive screen that provides video-call service when the office is closed.   

These new features make the car park experience more convenient, streamlined and friendly, not to mention safer as well. 

New services for better and more sustainable urban goods distribution 

The Litoral Port car park is also opening an area specially designed for parcel collection. Located on the first floor, it has Click&Collect lockers and bins for sorting and disposing of paper and plastic. This new area is open to the public 24/7 for order collection or drop-off, and seeks to offer local residents and workers a sustainable alternative to home delivery of online purchases.

With the same goal of helping reduce traffic and polluting emissions linked to urban goods distribution, the car park also includes a last-mile distribution centre. This is a restricted-access site where logistics operators’ vans can unload packages, usually at night, and distribute them to the end consumer using smaller and more sustainable vehicles, or on foot. 

A new look to reflect the values and dynamic nature of the Aparcaments BSM network

The reopening of the Litoral Port car park also marks the launch of the Aparcaments BSM network’s new brand image. This new visual and graphic identity conveys the values and dynamic role that BSM car parks will play in a city increasingly committed to e-mobility, shared vehicles and more efficient goods distribution. 

The new Aparcaments BSM logo is based on fine, rounded lines and a colour scheme that plays with green, grey and white. This combination of friendly, natural and modern elements is linked to the values of BSM car parks – sustainability, freshness, simplicity, clarity and safety – while also conveying excitement and improving user experience.

Aparcaments BSM’s new image will additionally be used in the interior design of the Litoral Port car park, which will also feature rounded lines and the combination of green, grey and white. The new lighting system, based on LED technology will make the space warm and comfortable. The colour adapts to the colour of each floor, thus integrating the design of the other elements. Furthermore, the brightness depends on whether or not there is activity in the car park, contributing to energy savings. 

Motorcycles can also use the app to pay to use Barcelona Serveis Municipals (BSM) car parks on a per-minute basis  

This feature, a first in the city, enables motorcycles to use the car parks faster and more conveniently and helps free up public spaces at street level  

Barcelona’s personal mobility services app, SMOU, continues to advance to help provide well-planned, combined, sustainable and connected mobility. To enable motorcyclists to use the city's car parks faster and more conveniently, SMOU has added a new feature that allows them to enter and leave Aparcaments BSM car parks using number plate reading technology.

In addition, SMOU also allows motorcyclists to pay for their stay in Barcelona Municipal Services (BSM) car parks by the minute through the "Parking via app" digital ticket service available on the same app. These two new developments will encourage motorcyclists to use these car parks, as they can enter without stopping to take a ticket on the way in or pay at the machine on their way out. Aparcaments BSM car parks currently provide a total of 1,592 spaces for motorcycles. 

SMOU and the Aparcaments BSM network thus provide a safe and convenient option for anyone who travels around the city on a motorcycle. In addition, they help regulate above-ground parking and free up public spaces. 

According to Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor and president of BSM, "This is yet another example of how car parks can be our allies when it comes to addressing the city's mobility challenges, including in the case of motorcycle parking. It is also a good example of Barcelona's commitment to innovative and digital solutions that improve residents' daily lives."

Smart cameras to read motorcycles' rear number plates 

This improved access for motorcycles, which is a first in the city, is already in operation in 18 Aparcaments BSM car parks, and work to extend it to the entire network is already in progress. To use it, you must be registered with SMOU and have registered your motorcycle number plate in the "My vehicles" section. 

For now, motorcycle number plate reading technology is in place at the following car parks: BSM Bilbao-Llull, BSM Cardenal Sentmenat, BSM Concepció Arenal, BSM Estació Barcelona Nord, BSM Gràcia Motos, BSM Illa Borbó, BSM La Boqueria, BSM Mercat del Guinardó, BSM Mercat Sagrada Família, BSM Mercat de Sant Antoni, BSM Mitre-Putxet, BSM Passeig Maragall, BSM Pl. Francesc Layret, BSM Plaça Navas, BSM SAT, BSM Plaça Joanic, BSM P.R. Biomèdica and BSM Travessera de Dalt. 

All these car parks have smart cameras at their entrances and exits that can read both car and motorcycle number plates with great speed and accuracy.

SMOU, the leading personal-mobility services app in Barcelona and the metropolitan area

SMOU is used by over 1,150,000 people in Barcelona and its metropolitan area and includes around twenty mobility services. It includes solutions such as Bicing, the Endolla Barcelona network of EV charging points, payment for regulated parking both above ground and in BSM car parks on a per-minute basis and the management of AREA parking spaces for residents.

It also allows users to check information on services such as shared bicycles, cars and motorbikes, plus real-time data on public transport, including a route planner to find the most efficient way to get from one point to another in the city and various other travel options. The latest service to be added to the app is the taxi service, under which users can request and pay for taxi travel around Barcelona and its metropolitan area. SMOU also provides information on the services and location of over 300 car parks.

Last year, almost 20 million transactions were carried out using SMOU. The app is constantly being upgraded, and five years after its launch, the number of services and users is still growing.
 

The agreement is a double pilot test that will allow Silence and SEAT MÓ to install battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles in three BSM car parks, thus promoting more sustainable, planned urban mobility  

The pilot tests are part of EIT Urban Mobility’s ECOSWAP project, which depends on the European Union, while the Silence test is also part of the eCharge4Drivers project, which has received European funding

The project is yet another step forward in BSM’s mission to transform its car parks into service hubs with a concentration of urban mobility solutions that meet citizens’ new needs

The Aparcaments BSM network is the most extensive in Barcelona, with 44 car parks distributed throughout the city’s districts and neighbourhoods. Now it is taking a further step in its commitment to transforming its car parks into mobility service hubs that go far beyond vehicle parking. Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) has launched a double pilot test with Silence and SEAT MÓ to assess the possibility of developing a network of battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles. 

The project, which is another way of promoting sustainable and planned urban mobility, is being carried out in the BSM Cotxeres de Sarrià, BSM Pl. Navas and BSM Gràcia Motos car parks, where battery swapping stations have been installed for these two brands’ electric motorcycles, which use the same removable batteries. 

At these battery swapping points, users of these vehicles who are registered in the shared battery system (Silence) or who have rented a motorcycle (SEAT MÓ) can take a charged battery and leave the depleted one, thus avoiding the waiting time for recharging.

Battery swapping stations are exclusively for these two manufacturers’ motorcycle models. When a user detects a low charge, they can locate the nearest swapping station and reserve a battery on the Battery Station mobile app, which is compatible with both brands. Once there, they deposit their depleted battery at the swapping station and grab a fully charged one. 

These two pilot tests, promoted by BSM, will last one year. Both are part of EIT Urban Mobility’s ECOSWAP project, an initiative of the EU’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology, and the Silence test is also part of the eCharge4Drivers programme, a project co-funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, in which Barcelona is participating through BSM. 

Aparcaments BSM, a promoter of new urban mobility 

The aim of BSM is to improve the quality of life for people by creating positive experiences to build a healthy and innovative Barcelona. One of its goals is to contribute to the drive for more sustainable, planned, connected and shared mobility. 

The company is currently in the process of gradually transforming the car parks in its network into spaces that go beyond vehicle parking to include new urban mobility services and solutions, always with the user in mind. 

These changes respond to new social habits and needs related to the transition to e-mobility and the expansion of new forms of personal mobility, and their common denominator is digitalisation and the use of new technologies. 

EIT Urban Mobility 

EIT Urban Mobility is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a European Union body. It aims to provide innovative solutions and accelerate the transition to a truly multimodal, integrated and user-centred transport system. It is also Europe’s leading urban mobility innovation community, working to foster collaboration between cities, businesses, education, research and innovation to solve cities’ most pressing needs. 

One of the projects it is spearheading is ECOSWAP, in conjunction with SEAT MÓ. This is a consortium comprised of manufacturers, local organisations, institutions and cities that are seeking to improve electric motorcycle mobility in cities and make it more efficient. Specifically, they are working to develop a sustainable system of fast-charging, swappable batteries that would allow people to purchase an electric motorcycle without a battery. Further information here.  

eCharge4Drivers

The eCharge4Drivers project is co-funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to promote new technological solutions for charging electric batteries in cities. It has around 30 partners across Europe, including Barcelona, which participates through BSM.  

Silence

Silence is ACCIONA’s brand of electric vehicles. The company uses its own proprietary technology to develop zero-emission motorcycles and cars with swappable batteries. In 2022, Silence was the European leader in electric motorcycle sales for the fourth consecutive year. The brand closed the financial year with a 22.7% market share. Silence is about to launch the S04, a small two-seater urban car that also uses swappable batteries.

SEAT MÓ

In 2020, SEAT MÓ was unveiled as SEAT’s new business unit responsible for selling micromobility products and mobility services. It has launched onto the market two electric kickscooters (SEAT MÓ 25 and 65) and three electric motorcycles (SEAT MÓ 125, SEAT MÓ 125 performance and SEAT MÓ 50). It also offers electric scooter and motorcycle subscription services, as well as a motosharing service in Barcelona, with the Barcelona City Council responsible for the licences. Continuous innovation in products, services and new business models is one of the company’s missions in its bid to accelerate the change to personal, sustainable electric mobility.

In 2024, work on adapting areas for parcel collection at the 43 BSM car parks will commence, continuing throughout the year, thus progressing their transformation into mobility service centres 

In addition to these areas, which will be open to the public 24 hours a day, the number of delivery stations to be used by distribution operators when making deliveries to the end customer, either on foot or using sustainable vehicles, will be doubled   

In this way, BSM is building on the Click & Collect pilot tests and the distribution stations already introduced in limited spaces in some of its car parks, and is helping to reduce the amount of traffic and polluting emissions arising from the urban distribution of goods 

Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) has begun the process of equipping the entire network of BSM car parks with Click & Collect spaces where people can both pick up and return parcels 24 hours a day. A total of 43 car parks will be adapted to accommodate this service. The project will allow the consolidation and expansion of the Click & Collect pilot tests conducted with different logistics operators at 33 car parks. To date, these tests have been carried out in limited spaces, but the new adaptation project will allow consolidation and expansion, providing more space for the collection and return of parcels.

These advances fall within the “Special Urban Plan for New Activities in the Car Parks of the City of Barcelona” approved by the City Council, which allows the incorporation of logistics services into the city’s short stay car parks with the aim of improving and optimising the management of urban goods distribution in Barcelona. 

In addition to providing all BSM car parks with a parcel collection area for public use over the course of 2024, steps will also be taken to double the current number of distribution stations or CDUM units in the BSM car parks network. The plan is to have about 20 micro-distribution centres from where distribution operators can deliver goods to the surrounding neighbourhoods, either using sustainable vehicles or on foot.  

For First Deputy Mayor and BSM Chair, Laia Bonet, “Initiatives like these highlight the role of car parks in the city of Barcelona. By concentrating part of the urban goods distribution here, we are contributing to a reduction in traffic on public highways, and greater efficiency and sustainability in parcel delivery. Thanks to this strategy, delivery vans cover fewer kilometres because by making a single stop, they can deliver multiple packages to lockers or micro-distribution points. This means fewer journeys, and a reduction in both pollutant emissions and noise levels on public highways. It also makes delivery during off-peak hours and at night easier because as it takes place in a car park, there are no issues with noise”. 

Two key elements to make urban goods distribution more sustainable

The incorporation of Click & Collect spaces across the BSM car park network will be carried out in phases. In all cases, a designated area, properly signposted, will be set up where the lockers for different operators will be located. These parcel collection points will be open to the public 24 hours a day for the collection or return of orders, as is already the case with the Click & Collect points currently being tested in some BSM car parks. Essentially, their purpose is to provide the city with a sustainable alternative to home delivery of online purchases.

Regarding the distribution stations or CDUM units, spaces will also be adapted and signposted in the car parks where they are located. These function as micro-distribution platforms where logistics operators’ vans can unload packages, usually at night, and distribute them to the final consumer using smaller more sustainable vehicles, or on foot. Thanks to these spaces, which are already being tested in eight BSM car parks, the impact on the occupation of public space by urban goods distribution is reduced, as are the amount of traffic and pollutant emissions. 

A new parking model that responds to the new needs of today

Expanding Click & Collect spaces and micro-distribution points is a further step in the transformation process in which the BSM car park network is immersed, working towards making them mobility service centres. This new parking concept goes far beyond vehicle parking, integrating value-added services that respond to new habits and social needs, such as online shopping, electric mobility, and shared mobility.  

Currently, the new BSM Ciutadella del Coneixement Car Park is being built, located on the site bounded by Wellington, Villena, Ramon Trias Fargas streets and Icaria Avenue, and will be operational from the second quarter of 2025. 

With 7,000 m² of surface area and a total budget of 10.7 million euros, it will be the first to be conceived as a true mobility hub, thanks both to the range of services it will offer, and its architecture and image. At the level of construction, this new conceptualisation involves a much more open definition of space, with flexible-use areas and higher ceilings that allow the entry of all types of vehicles.

With their mobile phones, private vehicle users can now check information on the services offered by 300 car parks, twice as many as a year ago

The application also integrates real-time information on the availability of parking spaces in approximately 100 car parks in the city

As a new feature, SMOU allows car park operators to incorporate the app as a payment method for parking by the minute

SMOU, the leading personal mobility services application in Barcelona and the greater metropolitan area, is thus facilitating planned mobility that reduces the time spent looking for parking, congestion in public spaces and pollution

The SMOU personal mobility services application allows users to check information on the location and services of half of Barcelona’s car parks, 300

in total, twice as many as one year ago when this feature was launched following an agreement between Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona City and Province Garage Guild.
In total, the application provides information on 80,000 off-street parking spaces, 78% more than a year ago.

SMOU also incorporates real-time information on the availability of free off-street parking spaces. There are now 100 car parks in the city that offer this service thanks to the BSM application.

“Barcelona City and Province Garage Guild are working hard on this project, and the progress were are making is a clear example of how public-private collaboration can help us tackle the major challenges facing the city,” says Laia Bonet, first deputy mayor and president of BSM. “In a compact city like Barcelona, car parks have an important role to play in terms of mobility. Supporting the digitalisation of the sector is crucial, as it has a direct impact on aspects such as the planning of our routes and the reduction of the time we spend looking for parking spaces. These are issues that have a direct impact on congestion in public spaces and pollution.”

A technological solution promoting planned sustainable mobility

The parking space information and availability features will enable private vehicle users to find out, from their mobile phone, the closest available parking place to their destination. This will enable routes to be planned and simplified, thereby reducing the time it takes to find a parking place, the distance travelled, congestion in public spaces and pollution.

The user can access a detailed profile for each car park which specifies the entrance addresses, the opening hours, the type of vehicles allowed, the spaces available, the rates, the list of services offered in the car park and information on the clearance gauge and maximum width in order to access the car park.

As for availability of parking places, real-time information is shown intuitively from the car park location point on the map in the app. A traffic-light indicator provides the straightforward and immediate information users need in order to decide where to park.

Furthermore, in order to optimise the planning of routes using private vehicles, SMOU has incorporated the “I want to park close to my destination” option within its “How do we get there?” route recommender. This new feature shows the location of the closest car parks to the destination and redirects the route to the chosen option.

SMOU is a committed partner in the digitalisation of the city’s car park experience

SMOU now allows car park operators in Barcelona and its metropolitan area to incorporate the app as a payment method for parking by the minute in their car parks. This gives users of the SMOU app easy and convenient access, allowing them to do everything from choose their car park to pay for the time parked.

SMOU, the leading personal-mobility services app in Barcelona and the metropolitan area

With more than 985,000 users in Barcelona and the metropolitan area, SMOU brings together some 20 mobility services. These include by-the-minute payments for on-road and Aparcaments B:SM car park parking, the management of AREA parking places for local residents, the Endolla Barcelona charging point network and Bicing.

It also allows users to check the location of services such as shared bicycles, cars and motorbikes, plus real-time data on public transport, including a journey planner to find the most efficient way to get from one point to another in the city, offering several alternatives. The app also now includes the taxi service, which makes it possible to request and pay for taxi travel around Barcelona and its metropolitan area.

Last year, SMOU recorded a total of 16.4 million transactions, almost 45,000 a day. The app is constantly being improved, and after just four years in operation, the range of services and users continues to grow, making it the app that one in every two people in Barcelona uses to get around the city.

BSM: sustainable mobility services for a better quality of life

Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) is one of the main service companies in Barcelona. In recent years it has become a leader in managing mobility services and looking after public spaces, as well as a notable cultural and leisure operator.

BSM encourages sustainable, planned, integrated and connected mobility through the SMOU app. It also promotes the development of Endolla Barcelona, the most extensive public charging network in Spain, and manages the Bicing shared-bicycle service, the regulated street parking service (AREA) and Aparcaments BSM's car park network, the largest in Barcelona.

The company also makes a significant contribution to professional mobility through solutions such as the SPRO app, aimed at goods distribution and tourist transport professionals. It also manages the Zona Bus parking and bus stop areas and Barcelona Nord Station, which is being transformed into the city's main local tourist transport hub.

Innovation, digitalisation and continuous improvement are the driving forces behind BSM's work to improve citizens' quality of life.

This is a project financed with funds from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, itself funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

The two projects are the result of a call made by the Barcelona City Council 2030 Agenda Commissioner’s Office and Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) through the InnovAcció 2030 programme

The aim of the projects is to tackle various challenges to expanding electromobility in the city, such as the concentration of recharging points in parking areas and infrastructure maintenance

The two solutions will be produced as pilot projects and tested in the BSM car park network in 2024

BSM has resolved the innovation processes that will enable the development of flexible, low-cost charging points to boost the expansion of electromobility in the city to get under way. The two projects stem from a public tender issued as part of the InnovAcció 2030 programme, a joint initiative of the Barcelona City Council 2030 Agenda Commissioner’s Office and BSM that aims to find innovative solutions to advance the 2030 Agenda and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The expansion of electromobility is precisely one of the challenges in moving towards a sustainable, zero-emission mobility model. In Barcelona, BSM’s electromobility network, Endolla Barcelona, is one of the main strategies for supporting citizens in their transition to electric vehicles. 

With 720 points distributed throughout the city, Endolla Barcelona concentrates 75% of the charging points in BSM parking facilities to prioritise sustainable, planned charging during off-peak hours freeing up public space for other uses. 

In that regard, the two challenges posed are intended to thoroughly examine the charging infrastructure's efficient and sustainable development in these areas, speeding up the installation of easy-to-implement charging points that allow vehicles to move between different parking spaces to achieve high vehicle turnover.

The two projects have been chosen by means of a public innovation tender promoted by BSM. They are expected to be implemented through pilot tests in the BSM car park network during the first half of 2024. The total budget for the execution of the two proposals is 160,000 euros.

A charging point that can be moved to other parking places

The first innovative challenge is a mobile electric vehicle recharge point that can be moved and thereby cover several parking spaces, rather than being fixed to a single location. The call to the sector aims to develop a point that can cover several parking spaces consecutively. 

In addition, the mobile point must be able to communicate with Endolla Barcelona's central management system and interact with users via the SMOU app. This challenge has a budget of approximately €90,000 for the development of a prototype.

The company chosen to lead this challenge was EV Safe Charge, a California-based start-up that offers solutions for the rapid charging of electric vehicles. The company has designed ZiGGY, a mobile, robotic electric vehicle charger, a preliminary project from which the solution to the InnovAcció 2030 programme challenge will be developed to meet BSM's specific needs. 

A low-cost and easy-to-maintain charging point

The second electromobility challenge proposed developing a new concept for a low-cost and easy-to-maintain electric vehicle charging point. Specifically, five prototypes will be manufactured at a lower cost than at present to evaluate their performance and feasibility. 

The awardee is a Catalan spin-off of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC - Barcelona TECH), teknoCEA, which provides customised power electronics components, systems and services to companies and laboratories.

Bearing in mind one requirement was to stay below €400 per point, teknoCEA has proposed a project for charging points that cost less than €250. This represents a reduction of approximately 80% on the current cost of the points. The challenge has a development budget of approximately €70,000.

Both the mobile charging point and the five low-cost charging points will be tested with real Endolla Barcelona users during the first half of 2024 at the BSM Plaça Navas - Paral·lel car park, where BSM plans to carry out various pilot tests for mobility innovation projects. 

Endolla Barcelona, the public electromobility network 

The public charging point network Endolla Barcelona, managed by BSM, has 720 charging points spread around all the city's neighbourhoods and districts. The network will continue to grow in 2023 until it reaches 1,000 points. 

Endolla ended 2022 with more than 16,000 users and over 100,000 recharges.

Located at the future Mercat del Peix research complex, this will be the first car park to be purpose built as a mobility-services hub in terms of both its range of services and its architecture and image

The car park will have electric-charging points, vehicle-sharing rental services, secure spaces for leaving bicycles, parcel-collection points and more

The Universitat Pompeu Fabra's Ciutadella Campus today hosted the presentation of the strategy to configure the Ciutadella del Coneixement (Ciutadella Knowledge Hub), with the first stone of the future research complex laid at the site of the former fish market, from which it will take its name of the Mercat del Peix. The launch of this project involves the start of building work on the future car park, which will be located under the complex’s three buildings and built and managed by Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM).

The new 7,000-square-metre BSM Ciutadella del Coneixement car park will be the first purpose-built mobility-services hub and include electric-charging points, vehicle-sharing rental services, a secure space for leaving bicycles and personal-mobility vehicles, as well as accessible parcel-collection points for city residents and a goods micro-distribution centre.  

The BSM Car Parks network, the most extensive in the city with 44 car parks distributed around all the city's districts, thus takes another step in its commitment to turn car parks into spaces that go well beyond vehicle parking. 

The construction of this infrastructure entails an overall investment of €22.2 million, of which €10.7 million euros comes directly from BSM and the rest from the other operators involved.

First major project linked to the Ciutadella del Coneixement

The Mercat del Peix project is one of the first set of works towards the Ciutadella del Coneixement, a scientific, cultural and urban-planning initiative to turn the surroundings at Barcelona's central Parc de la Ciutadella into a pre-eminent urban-knowledge hub. The initiative is promoted by Barcelona City Council in conjunction with the Catalan government and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra.