In germany, there has been significant progress in setting up charging points for electric cars – but there are still major regional differences.
While there are now comparatively many charging stations in large cities and metropolitan areas, there are still many "weibe spots" in the countryside. This is the result of an evaluation by the energy association BDEW, which is available to the deutsche presse-agentur and the "suddeutsche zeitung". The association sees an overall "dynamic" in the expansion of the charging infrastructure.
In total, there are currently around 24 charging stations in germany as of the end of 2019.000 public charging points – almost 50 percent more than in the previous year. According to the BDEW charging station register, the share of fast-charging stations is around 15 percent. Demgegenuber hours currently around 220.000 e-cars and plug-in hybrids, according to BDEW. On average, just nine e-cars or plug-in hybrids will share one charging point.
80 percent of charging operations took place at home or at work. "It is all the more important that the hurdles to the establishment of charging infrastructure in the private sector are finally removed. Politicians should put this high on their agenda for the new year," said BDEW managing director kerstin andreae.
In the coming years, electric cars are expected to achieve a breakthrough on the mass market. Electromobility plays a central role in the german government’s climate protection program, which aims to achieve the 2030 climate targets, particularly in the transport sector. A figure of 7 to 10 million electric cars is considered necessary in germany by 2030. The federal government had presented a "master plan for charging infrastructure", which is intended to accelerate the expansion of charging points. The goal is a comprehensive and customer-friendly charging network.
According to the BDEW, the largest number of charging stations among the major cities is in munich (1103) and hamburg (1070) – munich has thus passed hamburg. The coarse city of berlin (974) follows in third place. Stuttgart (405), dusseldorf (225) and leipzig (215) are behind them. More than 75 percent of the public charging points were set up and operated by energy companies, according to the BDEW.
In absolute terms, bavaria leads the way with 5656 publicly accessible charging points. This is followed by baden-wurttemberg (4094) and the most populous state, north rhine-westphalia (3880).
In terms of the number of publicly accessible charging points per 1000 square kilometers, hamburg (1417) and the capital city of berlin (1093) are in the lead. This is followed by bremen (286), baden-wurttemberg (115), north rhine-westphalia (114), hesse (82) and the flat-lying state of bavaria (79). The fewest charging points per 1,000 square kilometers are in the eastern german states of saxony-anhalt (16), brandenburg (12) and mecklenburg-western pomerania (9).
In mid-december, a summit meeting was held between the federal government and the energy industry. "Our goal is that soon no one in germany will say, "i’m not buying an e-car because i don’t know how and where to charge it,"" said economics minister peter altmaier (CDU). It was agreed that the energy industry would draw up a guide for operators of charging infrastructure in the coming year. In addition, approval procedures and processes for connecting to the grid are to be accelerated.
