12:51, 30 Mar 2023, author: Ermakova M.

Super fast charging points every 60 km

A new European Union agreement calls for the installation of electric vehicle chargers every 60 km, starting at 400 kW. Electric trucks and buses will also benefit from this rule.

The European Union has reached a new interim agreement. With it, they plan to expand charging and hydrogen refueling stations across much of the continent. Points dedicated to electric vehicles will have to be distributed every 60 km, covering the main highways of the TTE-T (Trans-European Transport Network). Similarly, they will have to provide a minimum capacity of 400 kW, with 2026 being the project's cut-off year. Meanwhile, the plan also takes into account power up to 600 kW, but it is reserved for 2028.

On the other hand, in accordance with the decisions of the MEPs and the Presidency of the European Council, trucks and buses will have charging points every 120 km, consisting of two truck stations located in safe and secure facilities. Their power range has been set at 1,400 to 2,800 kW and they are to be distributed on half of the main European routes, with a deadline of 2028.

The European Union also wants to simplify payment methods

Owners of electric and alternative fuel vehicles should have easy and convenient access to pay for these charging points. This means being compatible with credit and debit cards, as well as contactless technology and QR codes.

These stations will be required to clearly indicate the price of fuel. That is, set the cost per kWh, per minute or per kg. The European Union says they should be "reasonable, simple and clearly comparable, transparent and non-discriminatory" for electric vehicle owners.

With regard to hydroelectric power plants for fuel cell vehicles, the European Union has set that by 2031, there should be one station every 200 km on FCET-E. Thus, vehicles with alternative fuel combustion methods will have a future on most of the continent's main highways.

The European Union is betting on electric vehicles for the future of the continent

The plan is an attempt to decarbonise the transportation sector by making it easier to use electric vehicles. After all, as Ismail Ertuğ, a member of the European Parliament, has already commented, he "still is responsible for a huge share of emissions." With this new infrastructure capable of supporting cleaner charging technologies, we could see "a transition to a climate-neutral Europe," Ertuğ points out.

The new rules will help deploy alternative fuel infrastructure without further delay and ensure that next-generation vehicles can be driven and charged with the same ease and convenience as a gasoline-powered vehicle.

Of course, this proposal has not yet been approved by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Council and the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Tourism. Subsequently, it will have to pass through Parliament and the Council as a whole. Only then will we be able to see the reaction of the European Union to this temporary agreement.

That same year, Europe approved a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2035, cutting carbon emissions in half by 2030. Before entry into force, Member States of the European Union must reaffirm their commitment to the agreement.