Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1504427
14 WORLD maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 26 JULY 2023 THE Council of the EU has adopted new rules intended to make it much easier for EV owners to travel across Europe, while simultaneously helping to reduce the output of harmful greenhouse gases. The new regulation is set to benefit owners of electric cars and vans in three ways: It reduc- es range anxiety by expanding the EV charging infrastructure along Europe's main highways, it makes payments "at the pump" easier, and ensures pricing and availability is clearly communi- cated to avoid surprises. From 2025 onward, the new regulation requires fast charg- ing stations offering at least 150kW of power to be installed every 60km (37mi) along the EU's Trans-European Transport Network, or (TEN-T) system of highways, the bloc's main trans- port corridor. The fast charging network along European high- ways is already pretty robust, I discovered on a recent 3,000km (2,000 mile) roadtrip with a VW ID Buzz. This new law hopes to all but eliminate range anxie- ty for those sticking to TEN-T roads. The good news is the regu- lation mandates that charging stations should be capable of at least 400kW of total output by December 31st, 2025. This includes having at least one charging point capable of an individual output of 150kW. By December 31st, 2027 this regu- lation requires at least 600kW of total output and the same in- dividual charging point 150kW output. Some charging stations are marketed as 150kW right now, but then limit output per charg- ing point cable so EV owners don't always get the speedy charge they were expecting. This regulation will mean there's at least one charging point at these stations capable of the speedier 150kW output, which is essen- tial for some current EVs that can handle 350kW and future models that will undoubtedly exceed this. The regulation also requires that ad-hoc charging payments can be made via cards or con- tactless devices, without requir- ing a subscription. That should make it possible to pull over to any charging station from any network and charge your EV without first hunting for the correct app or signing up for a subscription. Operators are re- quired to clearly list prices at their installed recharging points via "electronic means," including wait times and availability. In addition to covering owners of EV cars and vans, the regula- tion also has deployment targets for recharging heavy-duty elec- tric vehicles, and addresses mar- itime ports and airports, as well as hydrogen refueling for both cars and trucks. The new regulation is part of a so-called "Fit for 55" package of initiatives meant to help the EU reach its goal of reducing greenhouse emission by 55 per- cent before 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and to achieve cli- mate neutrality by 2050. Trans- portation is said to be respon- sible for 25 percent of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions, with 71 percent of that coming from automobiles. Now that the regulation has been formally adopted by the Council, it has to progress through a few formalities before entering into force as law across the EU. "The new law is a milestone of our 'Fit for 55' policy provid- ing for more public recharging capacity on the streets in cities and along the motorways across Europe," said Raquel Sánchez Jiménez, Spanish Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, in a press release. "We are optimistic that in the near future, citizens will be able to charge their electric cars as easi- ly as they do today in traditional petrol stations." EU passes law to blanket highways with fast EV chargers by 2025 The chargers must be placed every 60km and allow ad-hoc payment by card or contactless device without subscriptions Europe's TEN-T network of highways A typical scene at ultra-fast charging stations in Europe: this one has a long protected walking path for the dog along the right-hand side bordering a creek