According to data compiled by the Slovak Electric Vehicle Association (SEVA), Slovakia currently has 2,008 public charging points, spread across a total of 807 locations.
This marks a 27 per cent increase in public charging devices and a 23 per cent increase in locations, far exceeding the installed quantity in 2023.
Patrik Križanský, SEVA’s director, states: “The figures confirm the growing interest in fast charging for electric cars at high-performance stations.”
Some devices, which previously had less than 50 kilowatts of power, have been replaced by more powerful ones.
“This is also the reason why, for example, we’ve surprisingly seen an unusual drop in the number of points in this category since the beginning of the year,” comments Križanský.
He adds: “However, the total installed capacity has increased significantly, allowing electric car drivers on the public network to charge faster.”
Of the total 2,008 connectors, 1,323 are standard alternating current (AC) points with a power of up to 22 kilowatts.
There are 448 operational fast charging points with a power of 50 kilowatts per direct current (DC).
Likewise, there are 195 devices with a minimum power of 150 kilowatts and 42 units with a minimum power of 300 kilowatts.
Altogether, the chargers have reached a value of 95,456 kilowatts, representing a 55.5 per cent increase compared to the 61,388 kilowatts recorded at the end of the previous year’s first quarter.
It’s worth noting that the summarized information published by the association quarterly only shows the number of public stations.
However, on average, over 80 per cent of the charging is done at non-public hubs, such as private garages, businesses, administrative buildings, or depots.
Therefore, it’s important also to consider the construction of private infrastructure of this kind.
Why is there growth in the charging infrastructure in Slovakia?
Incentives implemented by the Slovak government may be one reason, as it is actively investing in expanding the country’s public charging infrastructure, making it more convenient to own and operate an electric vehicle (EV).
Additionally, the legislative framework can be considered favourable.
It is worth noting that in September 2015, the Strategy for The Development of Electric Mobility in the country was approved to boost the national economy.
This tactic analyses recommendations from European Union (EU) documents and proposes a set of measures to support the development of electromobility in Slovakia.
Among the provisions considered are the streamlining of administrative processes for the construction of charging points and the introduction of legislative conditions for mandatory infrastructure construction when building parking spaces.
Simultaneously, subsidies are foreseen to ensure that local authorities construct public charging stations.
Furthermore, in November 2016, the Slovak government also adopted the National Policy Framework for the Development of Alternative Fuel Markets, which establishes various measures to improve relevant stations.
According to the Alternative Fuels Observatory, the amount of public charging hubs has been growing rapidly since 2020.
However, it is not insignificant that, for further growth in charging equipment, it is necessary to accelerate the adoption of EVs.
Although Slovakia has not offered purchase subsidies for electric cars since February of this year, EVs benefit from lower registration taxes compared to petrol units.
This specific rate varies according to the vehicle’s CO2 emissions and generally ranges between two per cent and five per cent for EVs, in contrast to the eight per cent applied to petrol cars.
Another point is that, in November 2017, the Slovak parliament approved an amendment to the Air Protection Act allowing municipalities to establish low-emission zones to favour vehicles meeting those conditions.
Consequently, although not in large numbers as in other EU countries, in March 2024, battery electric vehicle registrations increased by 50.9 per cent, reaching almost 600 units.
However, their market share remains low, accounting for only 2.5 per cent of the total.
Read more: Report: What are the eMobility incentives offered by Eastern European countries?
