EU investing €1.5bn to increase EV infrastructure

The European Union is investing €1.5 billion to build a network of alternative fuel infrastructure, with the aim of accelerating the transition toward clean transportation.

Part of the Fit 55 Package, the investment will be used to install new electric vehicle charging facilities, expand existing ones, and enable access to hydrogen refuelling stations.

As of 2022, more than 450,000 public EV charging points were installed throughout Europe, with most of the charging infrastructure focused in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, accounting for over 60 per cent of the total.

According to the EU, the investment will benefit citizens, consumers and the competitiveness of the EU’s automotive industry.

It claims that cars and vans are responsible for around 15 per cent of total EU emissions of CO2, the main greenhouse gas.

All new cars and vans placed on the market in the EU from 2035 should be zero-emission vehicles, the EU says.