Summary
– Electric car sales in the EU have outpaced the installation of charging points from 2017 to 2023
– The EU needs eight times more public charging points annually by 2030 to meet CO2-reduction targets
– ACEA estimates that 8.8 million charging points will be needed by 2030, much more than the European Commission’s estimate of 3.5 million
– Easy access to public charging points is crucial for decarbonizing road transport and meeting climate targets
– The European automobile industry is a significant economic contributor in terms of jobs, tax revenue, trade surplus, GDP, and R&D spending
Article
In a report released by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), it was revealed that there is a significant gap between the current availability of public charging points for electric cars in the EU and what will be needed to meet CO2-reduction targets. The report shows that EU electric car sales grew three times faster than charging point installation between 2017 and 2023. The EU will need eight times more charging points annually by 2030 to meet industry estimations.
ACEA’s Director General, Sigrid de Vries, emphasized the need for mass-market adoption of electric cars in all EU countries to achieve Europe’s ambitious CO2-reduction targets. However, this will not happen without widespread availability of public charging infrastructure across the region. The infrastructure rollout has not kept pace with battery-electric car sales in recent years, and the ‘infrastructure gap’ is at risk of widening in the future to a greater extent than European Commission estimates.
With just over 150,000 public charging points installed last year in the EU, reaching a total of over 630,000, the European Commission has estimated the need for about 3.5 million charging points by 2030. ACEA, on the other hand, estimates that 8.8 million charging points will be needed by 2030, requiring an installation rate of nearly 1.2 million chargers per year, which is eight times the latest annual installation rate.
The need for easy access to public charging points is seen as an essential condition to decarbonize road transport. Investments in public charging infrastructure need to be urgently ramped up to close the infrastructure gap and meet climate targets. The report highlights the importance of market support and a competitive manufacturing framework in Europe to support decarbonization efforts.
The significant difference between the Commission and ACEA estimations of the number of charging points needed by 2030 is attributed to various factors such as underestimation of the number of vehicles on EU roads that will require chargers, assumptions on vehicle energy consumption, and the acknowledgment that the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation requirements may be insufficient to meet CO2 targets for cars and vans.
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) represents the major Europe-based car, van, truck, and bus makers. With 12.9 million Europeans working in the automotive sector and various economic contributions to the EU, ACEA plays a crucial role in advocating for the need to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to meet CO2-reduction targets and support the transition towards sustainable mobility in the EU.
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