Public EV charging surges past government targets in Flanders

According to a report in the newspaper De Tijd, the number of public EV charging points in Flanders nearly doubled in 2024, significantly surpassing government targets.

This further cements Belgium’s position as a frontrunner in the adoption of electric mobility, as new registrations of EVs last year surged to the highest rate of any European member state (+36.9%).

De Tijd accessed figures from the Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works. The total number of publicly accessible chargers grew from 32,620 at the end of 2023 to 59,239 by the end of last year, marking an impressive 81% increase or an average of 73 new charging points per day.

Need for accessible charging

This rapid expansion is necessary to keep pace with the growing number of electric vehicles on Flemish roads. The number of EVs skyrocketed from 30,000 in 2021 to 194,000 in 2024, making the need for accessible charging more pressing than ever.

The success of the infrastructure implementation is due to the strategy of semi-public charging points. One condition for the 150% deductibility (until mid-2024) of the investment is that companies must provide third-party access to their charging points.

It shows in the statistics. Of the 59,239 charging points, 41,500 units are semi-public. Despite their public status, these are not necessarily available 24/7. Fully public chargers, available at all times, have grown to 17,650 units.

Ready to meet demand

Much of the increase in semi-public charging infrastructure is attributed to the subsidies introduced under former Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters (Open Vld). However, the number of fast chargers built under private investment has exploded, growing to 3,227 units, or 1,500 more than a year ago.

The previous Flemish government had set a target of 35,000 public ‘charging equivalents’ by 2025, a metric considering accessibility and charging speed. That milestone was already surpassed by mid-2024, and Flanders now boasts one and a half times the initial target. More than two-thirds of cities and municipalities now have far more chargers than initially estimated to meet demand.

Toward ‘socket plazas’

While the current supply seems adequate, experts point out that the pace of investment must continue. This remains uncertain as the current budget is significantly smaller than in the previous legislative period.

The ruling body bets on a different scenario for the infrastructure rollout. The new Flemish Minister of Mobility, Annick De Ridder (N-VA), seems persuaded by Bond Beter Leefmilieu and consultancy firm The Drive’s proposal to switch to smart charging hubs, which dates from November last year.

Instead of a fragmented charging landscape, these ‘socket plazas’ are more organized and help secure charging stability while facilitating the construction of amenities. De Ridder has signaled a shift in focus toward these large-scale charging hubs.

She acknowledges that the traditional pole-per-demand model, where individuals request a charger in their neighborhood, faces spatial planning limitations. Her administration is developing a detailed roadmap to guide future investment in charging infrastructure.