Proposal on the regulation for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, (repealing EU Directive 2014/94/EU)

Last updated: 11 February 2022

The original directive, promulgated in 2014, established a common framework of measures for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure in the Union in order to minimise dependence on oil and to mitigate the environmental impact of transport. This Directive set out minimum requirements for the building-up of alternative fuels infrastructure, including recharging points for electric vehicles and refuelling points for natural gas (LNG and CNG) and hydrogen, to be implemented by means of Member States' national policy frameworks, as well as common technical specifications for such recharging and refuelling points, and user information requirements.

This has now been repealed so it can be updated to eventually become a regulation instead of a directive.
The new updated proposal for an Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) will be considered by the European Parliament and Council (and possibly amended) before being promulgated.

In December 2019, the Commission adopted the European Green Deal communication . The European Green Deal calls for a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in transport. The aim is for the EU to become a climate-neutral economy by 2050, while also working towards a zero-pollution ambition. In September 2020, the Commission adopted its proposal for a European Climate Law to reduce net emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and to put Europe on a responsible path to becoming climate-neutral by 2050.   In December 2020, the Commission adopted the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy communication ). The strategy lays the foundation for how the EU transport system can achieve this transformation and sets concrete milestones to keep the transport system’s journey towards a smart and sustainable future on track. 

Proposed targets for electric recharging infrastructure for light-duty vehicles has been created - 
along the TEN-T core network, publicly accessible recharging pools dedicated to light-duty vehicles and meeting the following requirements are deployed in each direction of travel with a maximum distance of 60 km in-between them:
(i) by 31 December 2025, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 300 kW and include at least one recharging station with an individual power output of at least 150 kW;
(ii) by 31 December 2030, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 600 kW and include at least two recharging stations with an individual power output of at least 150 kW;

along the TEN-T comprehensive network, publicly accessible recharging pools dedicated to light-duty vehicles and meeting the following requirements are deployed in each direction of travel with a maximum distance of 60 km in between them:
(i) by 31 December 2030, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 300 kW and include at least one recharging station with an individual power output of at least 150 kW;
(ii) by 31 December 2035, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 600 kW and include at least two recharging stations with an individual power output of at least 150 kW.

For heavy-duty vehicles along the TEN-T core network, publicly accessible recharging pools dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles and meeting the following requirements are deployed in each direction of travel with a maximum distance of 60 km in-between them: 
(i) by 31 December 2025, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 1400 kW and include at least one recharging station with an individual power output of at least 350 kW; 
(ii) by 31 December 2030, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 3500 kW and include at least two recharging stations with an individual power output of at least 350 kW; 

along the TEN-T comprehensive network, publicly accessible recharging pools dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles and meeting the following requirements are deployed in each direction of travel with a maximum distance of 100 km in between them: 
(i) by 31 December 2030, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 1400 kW and include at least one recharging station with an individual power output of at least 350 kW; 
(ii) by 1 December 2035, each recharging pool shall offer a power output of at least 3500 kW and include at least two recharging stations with an individual power output of at least 350 kW 

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