What does a user-friendly and future-oriented charging infrastructure have to look like to satisfy the requirements of the mass market? Experts met to discuss this question on 18 March 2025 at the digital conference entitled: ‘Easy charging for the mass market’, organised by the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH.
There are currently almost 160,000 publicly accessible charging points across the whole of Germany, with particularly rapid HPC charging (high power charging) accounting for 15 per cent of these. Johannes Pallasch, Head and Spokesperson of the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH: ‘In terms of expanding charging infrastructure, we are on the right path towards the mass market. Nevertheless, we must focus more precisely on the various use cases. In the rural space or in densely-populated areas there is often still far too little publicly accessible charging infrastructure. Targeted measures must be introduced to ensure that charging is possible anywhere. The requirements of new customers in the mass market must be better understood and satisfied. Their demands in terms of charging infrastructure and charging are fundamentally different from those of previous user groups. They will lead the way in terms of continuing the market ramp-up.”
Decisive phase for the ramp-up of electric mobility has been reached
In Germany, there are currently almost 1.6 million e-cars (without plug-in hybrids) registered, which accounts for more than 3 per cent of all vehicles. This percentage has grown steadily over the past few years. This means that the electric mobility ramp-up is now in a decisive phase. Because it’s not just innovation and technology enthusiasts as well as environmentally-conscious people driving e-cars. Now, e-mobility has reached the next segment of buyers, the so-called ‘early adopters’. Compared to the e-car pioneers, early users have other motives for using the technology and they have different expectations of it. Their experiences with electric mobility and charging can therefore be decisive in how quickly and successfully e-mobility penetrates the mass market. Early adopters act as multipliers, persuading the mass market towards climate-friendly mobility.
Charging must be easy everywhere
The basis for positive charging experiences for the new user groups is a well-established, publicly accessible charging infrastructure that is demand-oriented, user-friendly, reliable and available nationwide. It’s important that quick and convenient charging is possible at any time and in many places, in a highly comfortable environment. It must also be easy to integrate it into daily life. Additional key points are fair and transparent charging prices and simple operation and payment during the charging process.
Exchange with experts from politics and industry
Dr. Franziska Lobas-Funck, Head of Team Understanding at the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure, presented the latest figures and developments on the inventory, demand and utilisation of charging infrastructure in Germany. Nikolaus Oberkandler, Head of the Electric Mobility and Charging Infrastructure Division at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), emphasised the central role of the Centre for a charging infrastructure expansion in Germany that is grounded in data and facts.
In the subsequent panel discussion, participants exchanged their perspectives on the question: ‘Charging for the mass market: what’s important?’ and answered questions from audience members: Dr. Axel Sprenger, Founder and Managing Director of UScale GmbH, Johanna Kardel, Head of Regulatory Affairs Energy at Elli / VW Group, Matthias Vogt, Specialist consultant for Electric Mobility Vehicle Technology at ADAC e.V. and Stefan Moeller, Managing Director of nextmove GmbH, all took part in the panel discussion.
The conference recording will be made available on the Youtube channel of NOW GmbH.
About the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH
The National Centre for Charging Infrastructure was founded in 2019 under the umbrella of NOW GmbH. It coordinates and manages activities for expanding charging infrastructure for cars and trucks – it provides support with planning, implementation and funding, collects data on the demand for charging points, connects stakeholders and passes on knowledge. The National Centre for Charging Infrastructure always has the users in mind.
Link to the website: National Centre for Charging Infrastructure
Photo: l-r.: Johannes Pallasch (National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH), Dr. Axel Sprenger (UScale GmbH), Johanna Kardel (Elli / VW Group), Nikolaus Oberkandler (BMDV), Dr. Franziska Lobas-Funck (National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH), Matthias Vogt (ADAC e.V.), Stefan Moeller, (nextmove GmbH) | Photo: NOW GmbH