EU Passes Law To Make EV Chargers Available On Major Roads

New regulations approved by the EU Council will make it considerably simpler for EV owners to travel throughout Europe while also assisting in the reduction of harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Owners of electric vehicles and vans stand to gain from the new regulation in three ways majorly: By extending the EV charging network along Europe’s major highways, easing the payment process “at the pump” and making sure pricing and availability are communicated properly to prevent unpleasant surprises.

The new legislation mandates the installation of fast charging stations with at least 150kW of power every 60km (37mi) along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) system of highways, the EU’s primary transportation route, starting in 2025. On to a recent report on a 3,000km (2,000 miles), the fast charging network along European highways is already solid. For those who stick to TEN-T highways, this new law aims to almost eliminate range anxiety.

The rule also mandates that payments for ad-hoc charging be accepted without a subscription using cards or contactless devices. That should allow users to charge their EV wherever there is a charging station on any network without having to look for the right app or sign up for a subscription first. Operators must display rates at their installed recharge points in plain view, using “electronic means,” along with wait times and availability. 

The legislation not only covers owners of EV cars and vans, but it also specifies marine ports, airports, hydrogen filling stations for both cars and trucks and deployment targets for heavy-duty EVs.

The new rule is an aspect of the “Fit for 55” package of activities, which aims at assisting the EU in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent before the year 2030 (in comparison to 1990 levels) and achieving climate neutrality by the year 2050. According to projections, transportation accounts for 25% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, with cars contributing to 71% of those emissions. The regulation must now complete a few procedures before becoming a part of EU legislation after being formally accepted by the Council.

In a press release, Spanish Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchez Jiménez said that “The new law is a milestone of our ‘Fit for 55’ policy providing for more public recharging capacity on the streets in cities and along the motorways across Europe. We are optimistic that in the near future, citizens will be able to charge their electric cars as easily as they do today in traditional petrol stations.”