EV Charging Infrastructure in the EU Is Growing Faster Than Electric Vehicle Sales

The public charging network for electric vehicles across the European Union is expanding faster than the number of electric cars on the road, according to a new analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E). The findings show that all EU member states except Malta have already met the EU target linking publicly available charging capacity to the number of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in their national fleets.

By the end of 2025, around 1.1 million public charging points had been installed across the EU—five times more than in 2020. Under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), each member state must provide at least 1.3 kW of publicly accessible charging capacity for every registered battery electric vehicle.

The analysis shows that by the end of March 2026, all member states except Malta had met this requirement. Combined, the European Union exceeds the mandatory target by 180%, indicating that charging infrastructure has not only kept pace with the growth of the electric vehicle market but has significantly outstripped it.

In addition to fleet-based targets, AFIR also requires the installation of DC fast chargers with a minimum power output of 150 kW every 60 kilometres along the core Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors.

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According to data from June 2026, 79% of the core TEN-T network—primarily consisting of national motorways—already complies with this requirement. The largest gaps remain in parts of Eastern Europe and Spain, although these countries are also experiencing the fastest expansion of ultra-fast charging infrastructure.

Regarding the comprehensive TEN-T network, which includes regional motorways and major highways, 20 out of 27 EU member states have already reached the target set for 2027, achieving it approximately one and a half years ahead of schedule.

Transport & Environment estimates that installing or upgrading just 70 charging stations at strategically selected locations would be sufficient to increase compliance with EU requirements to 90%. The highest number of additional stations would be needed in Spain (22), Poland (11), and Romania (7).

The analysis suggests that the European Union is not lagging behind in the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. On the contrary, the charging network is expanding ahead of demand, creating favourable conditions for the continued growth of electric mobility and the achievement of the EU’s climate objectives.

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