Europe’s public EV charging network continues to expand at a faster pace than the adoption of electric vehicles. According to the latest report from Transport & Environment (T&E), nearly every EU Member State has now developed enough charging infrastructure to support its growing battery electric vehicle (BEV) fleet, with Malta remaining the only exception.

Between 2020 and 2025, the number of publicly accessible charging points across the European Union increased more than fivefold, reaching 1.1 million. This growth has outpaced the rise in electric vehicle registrations and, according to T&E, has enabled the EU to exceed its combined infrastructure targets by 180% relative to the size of its electric vehicle fleet.

The report also shows that, by the end of the first quarter of 2026, virtually every Member State had already deployed sufficient public charging capacity to meet the needs of the battery electric vehicles currently on the road.

Italy also receives positive marks. Although the country’s electric vehicle market is expanding more slowly than those of several other major European economies, its charging infrastructure has grown at a remarkable pace.

According to the report, Italy has achieved 240% compliance with the charging capacity required for its current BEV fleet. This places the country among Europe’s strongest performers in terms of both charging point availability and installed charging power.

The rapid rollout has been driven in part by the implementation of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which requires at least one 150 kW or higher DC fast-charging station every 60 kilometres along the core TEN-T transport corridors.

As of June 2026, 79% of the TEN-T Core network, consisting primarily of Europe’s major motorways, had already met this requirement. Some challenges remain, particularly in Eastern Europe and Spain, although these markets are also experiencing the fastest growth in ultra-fast charging infrastructure.

Progress is even more advanced on the TEN-T Comprehensive network, which includes major regional roads, where 20 of the EU’s 27 Member States have already achieved the targets set for 2027—approximately 18 months ahead of schedule.

Germany Leads, Italy Ranks Second

Germany remains Europe’s largest charging market, with more than 208,000 public charging points. Italy ranks second with around 77,500, while Spain follows with approximately 51,700 charging points.

The share of DC fast chargers is broadly similar across the three countries:

• Spain:2% DC chargers
• Germany:9%
• Italy:2%

Growth since 2019 has been substantial. Germany has expanded its network by 575%, Italy by 1,179%, while Spain has recorded an impressive 4,458% increase, albeit from a much smaller starting base.

Installed charging capacity has also surpassed European targets by a wide margin.

Germany now boasts more than 10,300 MW of installed charging power. Italy has reached 2,887 MW, more than three times its AFIR target of 901 MW, while Spain has installed 1,976 MW, comfortably exceeding its target of 772 MW.

Regarding coverage of the TEN-T Core network, the EU average stands at 78.8%. Germany is close to full coverage at 99.56%, Italy exceeds the European average with 88.6%, while Spain, despite rapid progress, remains below the EU average at 63.46%.

The Next Challenge: Improving the Charging Experience

According to T&E, installing or upgrading just 70 strategically located charging stations would raise overall compliance with the EU’s network coverage target to nearly 90%. Most of these additional installations would be needed in Spain, Poland and Romania.

Andrea Boraschi, Director of T&E Italy, believes that the European targets are proving effective in accelerating the transition to electric mobility. The next phase, however, will focus less on the number of charging stations and more on improving the user experience by making charging easier, ensuring greater price transparency, and providing more accessible public charging solutions—particularly for drivers living in apartment buildings who rely on public infrastructure.

The appointment for industry operators is at E-Charge 2026, the trade fair dedicated to the EV charging industry and market, charging stations, technologies, infrastructure, and services, scheduled from 7 to 9 October 2026 at BolognaFiere.

It will take place as part of Urban Tech – The Urban Technology Show, the new event dedicated to e-mobility, traffic, commuting, security, telecom & data, and environment.