A Comparison of Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Across the EU

Although nearly one in five cars in Europe is now fully electric, skepticism toward the technology persists—in part due to a lack of confidence in the public charging network. For IFA Berlin (www.ifa-berlin.com), we conducted a recent study to analyze whether concerns about a lack of charging options are justified. In addition, we examined the development of other alternative fuels within the EU. As a global platform for future technologies, we not only monitor these developments but also bring them together every year at IFA Berlin with innovations in the fields of electric mobility, charging infrastructure, and connected mobility.

E-Mobility: The Netherlands Leads the Way

More than one million EV charging stations are available to electric vehicle owners within the EU. The Netherlands tops the ranking with 202,833 EV charging stations by the end of 2025, followed by Germany with 200,830. France takes third place with 186,717 stations. Belgium and Italy follow in fourth and fifth place with 98,707 and 70,039 charging stations, respectively. At the bottom of the rankings are Malta (113), Cyprus (761), and Estonia (1,976). Latvia and Croatia also have comparatively few EV charging stations, with 2,051 and 2,305, respectively.

When considering the number of EV charging stations in relation to a country’s land area, the Benelux countries lead the way: The Netherlands remains in first place with 4.88 charging stations per square kilometer. Belgium and Luxembourg follow in second and third place with 3.03 and 1.25 charging stations per square kilometer, respectively. Germany ranks fifth with 0.56 charging stations, behind Denmark (1.17 charging stations per square kilometer). Romania and Latvia (0.03 charging stations each) as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, and Estonia (0.04 charging stations each) have the lowest density.

This year alone, 23,687 new EV charging stations were installed across the EU. By 2025, the number of charging stations for electric vehicles had increased by 20 percent compared to the previous year: While there were 882,012 charging stations in 2024, the number had risen to 1,061,890 by 2025.

North Rhine-Westphalia leads the way in the development of public charging stations in Germany

In 2026, more than two million purely electric vehicles were registered for the first time. As of March 1, 2026, there were 198,384 public electric vehicle charging stations registered for German electric vehicle owners. In total, there are 12,596 different operators of charging stations, with the five largest providers operating about 13 percent of these stations.

The highest number of charging points is found in North Rhine-Westphalia (39,148), Bavaria (37,918), Baden-Württemberg (34,167), Lower Saxony (19,511), and Hesse (15,600). The highest density of charging stations, however, is found in the city-states: Berlin has the most charging stations per square kilometer at 7.77, followed by Hamburg at 6.40 and Bremen at 4.75. The federal states in the east have the lowest density: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has 0.13 EV charging stations per square kilometer, Brandenburg 0.16, Saxony-Anhalt 0.17, Thuringia 0.25, and Saxony 0.38.

Which charging points dominate in Europe?

A basic distinction is made between alternating current (AC) charging points and direct current (DC) fast-charging points. AC charging points are primarily suited for longer charging times, such as at home or at work. DC charging points enable significantly faster charging and are particularly relevant for long-distance travel.

AC charging stations clearly dominate in Europe. Around 867,000 of the total of over one million recorded charging stations use AC technology—equivalent to about 82 percent. In the vast majority of EU member states, they account for the largest share of the infrastructure—in the Netherlands, Malta, Cyprus, and Belgium, the figure is even over 90 percent. Medium-power AC charging points, with power outputs between 7.4 and 22 kW, are particularly widespread; at around 777,000, they make up the largest share of the total infrastructure (73 percent).

Only in a few countries is the share of DC charging points similarly high or does it reach a nearly balanced ratio. Only in Estonia (57 percent) and Latvia (54 percent) are there more DC charging points than AC charging points.

AC charging stations also dominate in Germany, accounting for about 75 percent of the network. Accordingly, one-quarter of all charging stations in Germany are fast-charging stations. Ultra-fast charging stations—ranging from 150 to 350 kW and over 350 kW—are particularly well represented, together accounting for about 19 percent of the total infrastructure. Across Europe, this share stands at 11 percent. In Latvia, more than one-third of all charging stations are ultra-fast charging points (36 percent)—the highest figure in the EU.

Charging Infrastructure for Heavy-Duty Vehicles
In addition to charging infrastructure for passenger cars, the analysis also covers publicly accessible charging locations for heavy-duty vehicles. A distinction is made between locations intended exclusively for heavy-duty vehicles and those shared with passenger car charging points. The analysis considers only locations that have at least one charging station with a theoretical power output of 350 kW or more.

CNG, LNG, and LPG: Differences in European Infrastructure

In addition to electric mobility, the infrastructure for gas-based fuels within the EU also shows significant differences. CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) are two forms of natural gas: CNG is stored in compressed form, while LNG is liquefied to achieve a higher energy density. LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), also known as autogas, is a propane-butane mixture produced as a byproduct of oil and natural gas extraction.

Our analysis of trends since 2015 shows how the number of CNG and LNG refueling stations in Europe has evolved. By 2024, there will be 3,913 CNG and 688 LNG refueling stations across the EU.

There are significant differences between countries: The highest absolute numbers are found in larger member states such as Italy, Germany, and France, while some smaller countries have only a small number of such refueling stations.

With a total of 28,491 refueling stations, LPG is the most widespread alternative fuel infrastructure in the EU. The data also show that the number of LPG refueling stations has recently declined slightly after peaking in 2019 and is currently stable.