MEPs and EU states agree on binding targets for deploying electric and hydrogen charging stations on major roads to facilitate the transition to zero-emission vehicles. According to the agreement, by 2026, electric charging stations for cars must be installed every 60 km on all major EU highways, with more powerful stations for trucks and buses. In addition, by 2031, hydrogen refueling stations will have to be installed every 200 km on major roads. The law also provides for exemptions for low-traffic roads, the outermost regions and islands.
The new rules are seen as a concrete step forward to facilitate the transition to zero-emission mobility in Europe. Motorists will be able to pay easily at charging or refueling points where the price charged will be reasonable and transparent. According to the representatives of the European Parliament, this breakthrough will allow for the immediate deployment of infrastructure for alternative fuels, making it as easy and convenient to drive and recharge a new generation car as it is to drive a petrol car.
The text also sets out infrastructure obligations for trains where electrification of lines is technically impossible, while European ports will have to allow ships to connect to the quayside to run on electricity from 2030. The NGO Transport&Environment welcomed the move, saying that states will be required to massify infrastructure as electric cars are put on the road.
This agreement comes hours before the final approval by the Energy Ministers of the EU-27 of the end of internal combustion engines in new cars from 2035, a key text of the EU climate plan. The obligations set out in the agreement should support the transition to more environmentally friendly mobility in Europe.
