In a move that will give a big push to changing to more sustainable-fuel vehicles, the European Parliament has overwhelmingly voted to require installation of car charging stations at least every 60km on major highways.
The law, which passed 514 to 52, must still be approved by the European Commission before going into effect. The bill requires the stations to be in place by 2026. Similarly, truck-capable chargers will need to be in place by 2031. And in a nod to the other hot candidate for no-emission driving, the law also requires hydrogen filling stations at least every 200km.
The chargers in place by 2026 are to have a capacity of at least 400 kW, with a higher standard of 600 kW in 2028. Mass charging infrastructure is seen as one of the two requirements to make electric driving a mass phenomenon; the other is the development of less-expensive electric cars.
