EU lays foundation for charging infrastructure every 60 km

Negotiators from the European Parliament, the European Council, and the European Commission have reached an agreement on the rollout of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Drivers of electric cars must be able to charge their vehicles every sixty kilometers on the main European thoroughfares. However, the text still has to get the final approval of the member states and the European Parliament.

Binding targets

The new regulation on the rollout of alternative fuel infrastructure contains binding targets for charging stations and hydrogen filling stations, but also for shore power in ports and power supply for stationary aircraft.

Legislation must help guarantee that the transmission to zero-emission transport is supported by sufficient infrastructure. For example, according to the new rules, the number of charging stations must grow in proportion to the number of electric cars on the road.

No more range anxiety

By 2026, there must be a charging station of at least 150 kW every sixty kilometers along the so-called trans-European network. And at least one fast charger must be available to charge an average electric car within half an hour. In other words, citizens should no longer have to worry about range anxiety.

For electrically powered trucks and heavy-duty vehicles with a charging capacity of 350 kW, the target on the main European roads is initially set every 100 km, with full network coverage by 2030.

Climate-neutral by 2050

The regulation is part of the ‘Fit for 55’ program, the package of legislation that should enable the European Union to become climate-neutral by 2050, with a 55% emission reduction by 2030 (compared to 1990) as the first step.

Some 50% of all charging points in the European Union are concentrated in only two countries: Germany and the Netherlands. Together, they have more than half of all European charging stations.

Netherlands and Germany

With 90 284 chargers in the Netherlands and 59 410 in Germany, these two countries, which make up only 10% of the total surface in the EU, are leading the way in constructing a fit charging network for European EV adoption. The figures come from a study by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association ACEA.