Europe officially has more than one million public electric vehicle charging points this summer, a major milestone for e-mobility. This network makes traveling with an electric car easier than ever before. In Belgium, for example, the charging network has grown significantly, with the number of charging points approaching 100,000. Thanks to the expansion of charging points and improved quality of service, EV drivers can take carefree vacations this summer. The number of fast chargers has also increased, with ultra-fast charging options available for quick stops.
Based on data from Eco-Movement and the latest figures from EAFO (European Alternative Fuels Observatory), EV Belgium shares the latest figures regarding charging stations, as well as a clear message: charging in Europe is done easily and everywhere. Vacations by electric car are more feasible and easy than ever. Thanks to more than 1 million public charging points, every EV driver can enjoy a carefree electric car vacation this summer. Fast charging at one of the more than 100,000 (ultra) fast chargers can then be done in less than 20 minutes. This will allow EV drivers to greatly shorten their breaks compared to the past. For Philippe Vangeel, director of EV Belgium, it is easy to summarize: “EV drivers will have to pee quickly from now on if they still want to have time to order coffee.”
As for Belgium, the federation notes the same analysis as for Europe. The number of public charging points continues to grow strongly with a total of just under 100,000 usable charging points. More than 90,000 of them are ordinary chargers and about 7,000 of them are fast chargers. Even in Wallonia, which has not done as well for a long time, the sector federation notes a doubling in the number of fast chargers in one year. This still puts Belgium at the top of European countries in terms of infrastructure. So the sector – with EV Belgium members in the lead – has certainly done its homework. It has invested heavily in a high-performance, smart and reliable charging network that is now available throughout Belgium. The pieces of the puzzle are in place, but the pace of the vehicle market must now keep up. Only if more people opt for more sustainable mobility will the benefits of this infrastructure really materialize. According to the sector federation, Belgium will have as many as 2 million electric cars by 2030. Current and future EV drivers will then be able to make use of a well-developed network of efficient and fast charging points in Belgium and Europe. Thus, every European will be able to charge easily when they decide to travel by car.
Yet these are more than numbers. For more than a year, AFIR, the European charging infrastructure regulation, has been in force. It imposes obligations that put the EV driver’s user experience at the center: transparent pricing, payment by bank card and full interoperability. Thanks to these standards, the charging experience today is clearer, more reliable and faster. EV drivers traveling by EV will be able to hit the road this summer with more peace of mind. Despite these developments, however, it remains important for the industry federation to always be well informed when choosing a charging station. Technology is evolving: ultra-fast chargers are gradually becoming the norm, and new vehicles can recharge at impressive speeds without the battery suffering from the high power. If today people are still hesitant to make the switch, the industry federation wants to reassure: charging your electric car today is almost as quick and easy when taking a break on the road as it used to be.