Half of all chargers in EU located in just two countries
Data analysis from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) shows that half of all charging points for electric vehicles in the EU are concentrated in just two countries - the Netherlands (90,000) and Germany (60,000).
Interestingly, these two countries comprise less than 10% of the entire surface area of the European Union. The other half of all charging points is scattered throughout the remaining 25 EU member countries that cover 90% of the surface area.
Fuelling EV range anxiety
This is not good news for businesses that operate throughout the EU or travel between countries that want to transition to electric vehicles. Range anxiety is still a major stumbling block and a recent study shows that up to 6.8m public charging points would be required by 2030 to reach the EU’s goal of 55% CO2 reduction for cars. This equates to 22 times the growth we see now in under 10 years.
The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) proposed by the European commission in 2021 is meant to help address the situation but ACEA doesn’t think it’s enough.
This situation begs several questions:
- What affect is this situation having on the transition to EVs across Europe and how is it affecting EV sales?
- Is transitioning to pure EVs the right sustainability strategy for Europe, particularly when many countries still rely heavily on fossil fuels to generate electricity?
- What are the big oil companies that own and operate the majority of service stations across Europe doing to address the balance throughout Europe?
To address these questions and more, next week Fleet Europe will publish an analysis of the EV charging issue across the Union and try and come up with a roadmap.
Meanwhile, check out the Mobility Maturity Map and eBook that measures corporate mobility across 10 EU markets.
Main image: Shutterstock. In-article image: ACEA
