BEM welcomes Agora proposal for priority on fast charging

The Federal Association for eMobility (BEM) has welcomed the proposal of the Berlin think tank Agora Verkehrswende, according to which the market ramp-up of electromobility should be further accelerated by the rapid and efficient expansion of publicly accessible charging infrastructure in the area of fast chargers (>150 KW). From the perspective of Agora analysts, highly frequented locations such as supermarkets and shopping centers should be prioritized, where customers can charge their vehicles while shopping and running other errands. Experts expect a good utilization of these locations in both cities and rural areas with shorter usage durations. The basic assumption is the general accessibility of charging points without special contractual obligations.

"Now is the right time to send strong signals for a secure charging infrastructure to support electromobility on a broad scale," commented BEM board member Markus Emmert on Agora's proposal. 

To stay economically and efficiently on course with the expansion of New Mobility in Germany, it is also worthwhile to link it to energy supply issues, Emmert added. According to BEM, investors in charging infrastructure are not only concerned with costs on the vehicle side but also with electricity supply. Significant expenses arise here due to "old" energy laws. In BEM's view, charging point operators who set up their own PV systems for direct renewable energy generation could be granted an increased greenhouse gas reduction quota (GHG). This would generate energy directly where it is needed.

"However, this setup is only worthwhile if charging parks do not operate as isolated systems, as currently stipulated, but contribute to grid utility by being allowed to operate in parallel with the grid. Further state incentives could then be dispensed with," the association says.

The federal government has set a target of getting 15 million pure electric cars on the road in Germany by 2030. Currently, the responsible departments are reviewing the Master Plan for Charging Infrastructure for its performance. However, BEM advises that in addition to fast charging, private and employer charging should not be neglected. The association further demands that funding programs like the former KfW440 must be urgently relaunched and the current KfW441 should be quickly and realistically revised.