Inadequate availability of charging stations across European highways
EU Struggles with Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure, According to ACEA
The Automobile Manufacturers and Importers Association (ACEA) has expressed concern over the current state of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Europe. ACEA Director General Sigrid de Vries emphasized the need for charging electric cars to be as simple as refueling traditional vehicles.
In the Netherlands, there is one charger per 1.5 kilometres of road, making it the country with the most fast charging stations per 100 kilometers of highway in the EU. Germany follows closely with around 33 charging stations per 100 kilometers, and Italy has about 5 per 100 kilometers. However, seventeen nations have fewer than five charging stations per 100 kilometres of road, and six EU countries lack a charging station every 100 kilometres.
Fast chargers, with more than 22kW capacity, account for just a small fraction of the total charging stations in the EU. In fact, only one in every seven charging stations in the EU is a fast charger. This scarcity is particularly pronounced in Poland, where, despite being eight times larger, there is only one charger every 150 kilometres.
The availability and speed of charging infrastructure will play a significant role in the adoption of electric vehicles in Europe, according to ACEA's perspective. People should not have to go for miles to find a charger, nor should they have to wait for hours for their electric vehicle to charge, de Vries stated.
All other charging stations have a capacity of 22kW or less and do not charge electric vehicles at an appropriate rate. This means that fast chargers, which can charge an electric vehicle to 80% in around 30 minutes, are not widely available across the EU.
The need for making charging electric vehicles as convenient as refueling traditional cars is crucial for persuading individuals throughout Europe to transition to e-mobility, ACEA's stance. The success of the transition to e-mobility in Europe relies heavily on the ease and speed of charging electric vehicles, ACEA's position.
Electric car sales in all EU nations need to surge to reach CO2 objectives. ACEA's view is that the current state of charging infrastructure may be a barrier to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles in Europe. The association has called for increased investment in charging infrastructure to make EV charging as simple and efficient as possible.
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