EU agrees on targets for the development of the recharging infrastructure
A provisional agreement has been reached between the European Parliament and member states that sets mandatory national targets for the distribution of EV and hydrogen charging stations throughout the European Union. Agreement has also been reached on ensuring that the recharging and payment processes are as straightforward as possible.
It was established that recharging infrastructure needs to grow at the same pace as vehicle uptake and to that end, for each registered battery-electric car in a given Member State, a power output of 1.3 kW must be provided by the recharging infrastructure. In addition, every 60 km along the trans-European transport (TEN-T) network, fast recharging stations of at least 150 kW need to be installed from 2025 onwards.
For heavy duty vehicles charging stations with a minimum output of 350 kW will be sited every 60 km along the TEN-T core network, and every 100 km on the larger TEN-T comprehensive network from 2025 onwards, with complete network coverage to be achieved by 2030. Recharging stations must be installed at safe and secure parking areas for overnight recharging.
Hydrogen refuelling station for both cars and lorries must be deployed from 2030 onwards in all urban nodes and every 200 km along the TEN-T core network.
In all cases some deployment exemptions would apply to outermost regions, islands and roads with very scarce traffic.
Ports that see at least 50 visits by large passenger vessels, or 100 by container vessels, must provide shore-side electricity for such vessels by 2030. Airports must provide electricity to stationary aircraft at all gates by 2025 and to all remote stands by 2030.
Payment at recharging or refuelling points should be easy and convenient and the cost should be displayed per kWh, per minute/session or per kg. It should be ‘reasonable, easily and clearly comparable, transparent and non-discriminatory’.
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal said; ‘The transition to zero-emission mobility has to be supported by the right infrastructure, ready for you when you need it, where you need it. Electric or otherwise, we want every driver in Europe to be certain that they can travel in confidence throughout the continent. With this agreement we ensure that there are sufficient and user-friendly options available throughout Europe, for both cars, and heavy-duty vehicles.’
