Europe surpassed the 900,000 mark in semi-public and public charging points in July. Most of them are in the Netherlands (169,216), followed by Germany (152,332) and France (119,481), according to the new Charge Point Monitor. Furthermore, the report gives an overview of trends beyond 2021, with the European charging network recording an average annual growth rate of 55% between 2021 and 2024. “Despite this rapid growth, Europe is still far from achieving the ambitious targets set by the European Union,” the study authors conclude. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), Europe will need up to 8.8 million charging points by 2030.
The distribution of charging points is also concentrated in a few major countries. The Netherlands, Germany and France account for almost half of the charging points in Europe. The UK and Belgium are in 4th and 5th place, respectively. This ranking reflects only the absolute number of charging points, and not the density of the charging network (which should be set according to the size of the country). However, it was not the aforementioned countries but Belgium and Finland that recorded the highest growth rates recently (190% and 158%, respectively, between January 2023 and July 2024). In Greece, the number of charging points grew by 480% between 2023 and 2024, but at a very low level (just over 1% of European chargers).
According to the study, AC units will account for 84% of the network, while for fast chargers, analysts distinguish between DC and HPC units, which account for 7% and 10% market shares, respectively. In terms of development, analysts note that the number of AC chargers will grow by 10% between July 2023 and July 2024. The growth rate of fast chargers is even higher (15% and 25%, respectively).
The majority of charging points available in Europe are fully public (63%), while just over a third are semi-public (37%). The latter are often located in the private premises of shops, underground car parks, hotels and restaurants. Although public, access is subject to certain conditions, such as specific opening and closing times and other usage requirements.
Charge Point Monitor also provides information on the number of charging points in European city centres. Here again, the high market maturity of the Netherlands is reflected, with Amsterdam (13,286), Rotterdam (8,538) and The Hague (6,967) taking the top four places in the ranking. Only London (11,321) is between these three places. Apart from that, Scandinavian cities stand out in particular: Stockholm and Gothenburg, with 5,773 and 5,067 charging points respectively, demonstrate Sweden's commitment to developing urban charging networks. Oslo and Antwerp follow with 4,205 and 3,983 charging points respectively.
“This dominance by Dutch cities highlights that the Netherlands is strategically investing in charging infrastructure, making it a model for other European countries,” EVMarketsReports analysts conclude. In general summary, they note that while Europe's progress is impressive, an ambitious EU aims to “continue and accelerate its efforts in infrastructure development.” Expanding the power grid and simplifying the regulatory environment are essential measures, as “current regulations could slow down the installation process and hinder the pace of growth needed to meet future demand.”
According to the study, EV charging infrastructure needs to be distributed equally across all regions: “It is critical to ensure that charging infrastructure is distributed equitably across all regions. Urban centres are well-served, but many rural and remote areas remain underserved. Addressing this imbalance requires targeted investment and collaboration between government and private sector stakeholders.”
evmarketsreports.com
