A new report by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) highlights a growing concern about the availability of public charging points for electric cars in the EU compared to what will be needed to meet CO2 reduction targets. Despite a three-fold increase in sales of electric cars in the EU between 2017 and 2023, the installation of charging points has not kept pace, leading to a widening “infrastructure gap.”
According to ACEA, the EU will need eight times more charging points each year by 2030 to meet these targets. However, current public charging infrastructure falls short of this requirement, with just over 150,000 public charging points across the EU and an average of less than 3,000 added per week. To meet the European Commission’s goal of installing 3.5 million charging points by 2030, around 410,000 public charging points would need to be added annually.
ACEA General Director Sigrid de Vries emphasized the importance of mass-market adoption of electric cars across all EU countries to achieve Europe’s ambitious CO2 reduction goals. However, she expressed concerns that infrastructure construction has not kept pace with electric car sales in recent years. De Vries called for urgent increases in investments in public charging infrastructure to close this infrastructure gap and move closer to these targets.
Easy access to public charging points is crucial for decarbonizing road transport and achieving climate goals. ACEA estimates that 8.8 million charging points will be necessary by 2030, requiring the installation of 1.2 million chargers per year. In addition to increasing investments in public charging infrastructure, ACEA also emphasized the need for a competitive production framework in Europe as a key factor in achieving these goals.
The report highlights the urgent need for action on this front if Europe is to achieve its ambitious CO2 reduction goals and move towards a sustainable future for transportation.
