Energy & Climate: Orgalim recommendations on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive revision

Alongside the decarbonisation of Europe’s electricity production, battery and fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs) represent an ever more important means of decarbonising road transport. However, the lack of recharging points in some regions, insufficient smart grid development, and difficulties encountered by consumers looking for easy access to the infrastructure remain among the most important barriers that hinder the wider use of vehicles and vessels running on alternative fuels today.

According to the European Alternative Fuels Observatory, there are currently a little bit more than 200,000 charging points in operation. This will not be enough in a few years’ time when the take-up of low and zero-emission vehicles will accelerate. As predicted in the European Green Deal, by 2025 about 1 million publicly accessible recharging and refuelling points will be needed for the 13 million vehicles running on alternative fuels.

The transition towards zero-emission mobility should be supported by the deployment of a dense, widespread, reliable and easy to use alternative fuels infrastructure for all types of vehicles, from light EVs up to trucks and buses. Fast-charging facilities are needed on major highways, for example at motorway service areas, to meet the needs of EV owners when they are travelling long distances, and slow or normal charging facilities are needed where vehicles are parked overnight and near places of work.

Orgalim welcomes the upcoming revision of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive. To make the regulatory framework fit for purpose, we recommend addressing the following issues:

1. Focus on fuels that are available as low carbon fuel sources today, or those with a clear low carbon pathway already underway.

2. Turn the Directive into a regulation and introduce binding targets for infrastructure roll-out.

3. Extend the scope of the regulatory framework to cover rail and airport infrastructure for ground movements.

4. Propose a strategy and introduce specific targets for heavy-duty vehicles.

5. Place consumer needs at the centre.

6. Adopt international, open standards and have them strictly applied.

7. Ensure that the charging infrastructure is equipped with smart charging technology.

8. Introduce cybersecurity requirements.

To read our recommendations in full, please download the position above.