Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are becoming increasingly popular in Europe. In 2022, the number of fully electric passenger cars in the EU increased by 58 per cent compared to 2021 – from 1.9 million to 3.1 million.
Between 2019 and 2022, this number soared by more than 400 per cent.
This is a hugely significant step for energy in terms of transitioning towards net zero as the impact of climate change has been particularly evident with increasing temperature changes in recent years.
While electric passenger cars and other electric vehicles will be key for decarbonising the transport sector, a more expansive charging infrastructure is needed to encourage uptake.
“Access to charging is a significant concern,” a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published in June underlines.
A third of respondents in six European countries – France, the UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands – reported that there were no charging stations for electric cars within 3 km of their homes, according to the OECD’s 2022 Environmental Policies and Individual Behaviour Change Survey.