In recent years, Germany has distinguished itself in Europe for its expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, with the firm goal of reaching one million chargers by 2030.
With over 120,000 public access points in operation, according to data from the Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV), the country faces a paradox: “We have observed that there is more supply than demand in the market.”
This is confirmed by the Bundesverband Freier Tankstellen (BFT) to Mobility Portal Europe.
This means that while the infrastructure is growing significantly, the utilisation of these points remains surprisingly low.
This assertion is supported by data showing that the average occupancy of charging stations in Germany is only 12.5%, according to the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW).
Usage varies by region, ranging from a low of 3% to a high of 23%, with cities such as Berlin and Munich leading in terms of utilisation.
How does this impact operators and electric vehicle users?
For Mark Hellmann Regouby, CEO of ElectroFleet, the current situation presents a duality.
From the driver’s perspective, the abundance of available charging points provides a sense of security and convenience.
“I drive an electric car all over Germany and never have problems accessing chargers,” he tells Mobility Portal Europe.
However, he also acknowledges the challenge this presents for operators:
“Obviously, from a business point of view, the network that is there without being used costs someone money, and they need to see utilisation rates increase.”
He describes it as a “chicken and egg” problem: for consumers to feel comfortable buying EVs, they need assurance that they can charge their cars without difficulty.
This requires extensive and well-distributed infrastructure, but at the same time, charging point operators (CPOs) need higher usage to justify their investment and ongoing operation.
In this context, the CEO of ElectroFleet explains that government subsidies are essential to kick-start the process, especially for the purchase of EVs, a support that was removed in December 2023.
In this framework, Daniela Kluckert, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport, mentions to local media that Germany has established legal requirements.
For what purpose? To ensure that the expansion of infrastructure is taken into account in the preventive development of the network.
With a significant increase in installed charging capacity, rose from 3.7 gigawatts in January 2023 to 5.4 gigawatts in January 2024.
Disparities in the utilisation of charging infrastructure
Despite the growth in the network, station occupancy varies drastically across different regions.
For instance, Erlangen has an occupancy rate of 23.4%, while in some rural areas, the figure can fall to as low as 3%, according to statistics published by the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).
This uneven usage not only reflects the different rates of electric vehicle adoption across the country but also the variability in the planning and distribution of chargers.
Moreover, the ratio of EVs to charging points shows significant disparities across the country.
In some cities, such as Ingolstadt, this ratio is 4.2 cars per station, while in places like Mülheim an der Ruhr, it reaches 81.4.
This difference highlights the need for more strategic planning to ensure that the network aligns with local demand.
In this context, it is important to note that around 70-80% of all EV charging in Germany still occurs in private or workplace settings.
This could explain the low utilisation of public stations.
What role does the private sector play in this equation?
Companies such as EnBW are investing in rapid charging locations, which promise higher revenues due to the increasing demand for reduced refuelling times.
However, private investment is driven by profitability, and many operators remain cautious, given that public infrastructure may not be financially sustainable in the short term.
