How to ensure Europe’s EV charging infrastructure buildout succeeds

Amidst the European Union's latest legislative package aimed at aligning EU law with its ambitious climate goals, known as the Fit for 55 package, there is a proposed piece of legislation that places electric mobility at the heart of alternative fuels: the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). This proposal intends to ensure each European country has a specific amount of charging infrastructure per electric vehicle registered within their borders.

However, according to the AFIR proposal, this minimum charger-to-vehicle ratio may fall short of achieving the EU’s goal of using electric mobility as a catalyst for the energy transition. While we agree that the package is moving in the right direction, we believe that a "one-size-fits-all" approach could hinder rather than promote a balanced electric mobility rollout across Europe. Here's why, and what we suggest instead.

Electric Mobility as a Catalyst for Energy Transition

Last July, the European Commission unveiled its plan to reduce carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. Dubbed the Fit for 55 package, this legislative proposal is a critical step towards the EU’s broader goal of achieving continent-wide carbon neutrality by 2050. Among various sectors, the electrification of transport is seen as a key tool in decarbonization efforts. The EU emphasizes that investing in EV charging can drive transformative changes in both the energy and transportation systems.

As stated in an EU report, "Deploying charging infrastructure in line with electric vehicle uptake is essential for transitioning to alternative fuels and achieving a largely zero-emission vehicle fleet by 2050." Beyond environmental benefits, electric mobility also creates green jobs, enhances digital infrastructure, and reduces urban air pollution. Prioritizing EV adoption and infrastructure is not just good policy for sustainability—it’s laying the groundwork for further decarbonization. But for electric mobility to truly become a catalyst for change, it must appeal to drivers across Europe.

Unfortunately, in some countries, the push for electric vehicle adoption is still lagging behind the pace required to meet decarbonization goals.

Charging Infrastructure and EV Adoption Go Hand in Hand

The EU aims to make EV charging as convenient as refueling a conventional vehicle, ensuring seamless travel across the EU. However, the uneven distribution of charging infrastructure today makes cross-border travel challenging. The EU itself acknowledges this "chicken-or-egg" dilemma: vehicle adoption will be limited until charging infrastructure is widely available, yet infrastructure investments require certainty about vehicle adoption levels.

Simply put, EV adoption and charging infrastructure are interconnected. To boost the former, we must first invest in the latter. For example, in some regions, the current AFIR targets are too low to make a significant impact.

Why the AFIR’s Current Targets Fall Short

The AFIR is designed to address the chicken-and-egg problem by creating a Europe-wide charging network. It outlines the EV charging infrastructure requirements that member states must meet. The package suggests a minimum charger-to-vehicle ratio for EU countries, requiring member states to ensure a certain level of charging capacity per EV registered within their borders.

At present, the AFIR target of 1 kW of charging power per BEV falls short for several reasons:

1. In countries with fewer EVs on the road, the targets won’t significantly boost charging infrastructure. Since the current legislation bases the number of charging stations on existing fleet numbers, countries with smaller EV populations will only need to install a handful of charging points. 
2. In countries leading the EV revolution, these targets have already been achieved and won’t incentivize further development. This means no changes will be required in these areas for several years, as the market is already providing adequate infrastructure for driver needs.

As a result, the EU is missing an opportunity to significantly enhance charging infrastructure across the continent.

Insufficient Targets Will Impact Drivers Today

This will not only hinder the EU’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions but also negatively affect drivers today. Many EU countries struggle with the chicken-and-egg challenge, making potential EV buyers hesitant to switch. Range anxiety—the fear of running out of battery mid-trip—is a major obstacle. According to our research, range anxiety is the top barrier to EV adoption among potential buyers in Europe. The only solution is to provide more charging infrastructure where electric vehicles are underserved.

To tackle this issue, we need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and create tailored, capacity-based targets for countries with slower EV adoption while allowing market freedom in thriving EV markets.

 

Tailored Capacity-Based Targets Across Europe for EV Charging Infrastructure

The proposed targets need to be adjusted to boost EV adoption in underserved markets over the next few years. A straightforward alternative, as proposed by Charge Up Europe, would be to set higher targets for countries with smaller EV fleets. This would alleviate range anxiety and encourage electrification.

By doing so, "Member States with smaller fleets will be obligated to provide their citizens with more EV charging infrastructure than they currently need, addressing range anxiety and preparing for the rapid expansion of the EV market driven by the phase-out of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles," says the organization.

These targets should then gradually decrease as EV penetration increases. Once EVs account for 7.5% of a country’s vehicle fleet (the tipping point identified by Charge Up Europe), these targets should be lowered because they will no longer be necessary to stimulate growth. Setting static targets won’t suffice to reach this tipping point and foster a competitive market environment.

In addition, the established targets must prompt countries to develop infrastructure plans that attract private investment to meet long-term charging needs. This will help build a robust industry capable of meeting future EV driver demands. Higher targets for underserved markets combined with the right policies to attract private charge point operators (CPOs) will eventually lead to an organic infrastructure build-out, fostering a competitive market environment.

In Conclusion

The Fit for 55 package, particularly the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation, is a promising start. It has the potential to make electric mobility mainstream, from Spain to Sweden, from Portugal to Cyprus, and everywhere in between.

However, to accelerate the transition to electric mobility across all Member States and lay the foundation for a 55% emissions reduction by 2030, the EU must move away from the one-size-fits-all approach and develop tailored, capacity-based targets within AFIR. These targets should boost electrification where needed while allowing market freedom in thriving EV markets.

Implementing such measures will remove the primary barrier to EV adoption, encourage member countries to build charging infrastructure, and attract private investment into the sector.

Listen to our REVOLUTION Live podcast

If this article piques your interest, you might enjoy listening to our REVOLUTION podcast episode focusing on the Fit for 55 legislative proposals and how businesses are responding to the shift toward clean mobility. 

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