Pursuant to Article 3.1 of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), Member States are mandated to facilitate the deployment of publicly accessible recharging stations for light-duty vehicles, commensurate with the adoption rates of electric vehicles within their territories. Specifically, AFIR dictates the following annual cumulative power output targets for recharging infrastructure:

• Battery-Electric Light-Duty Vehicles (BEVs): Each BEV registered in a Member State must be supported by a minimum total power output of 1.3 kW from publicly accessible recharging stations.
• Plug-in Hybrid Light-Duty Vehicles (PHEVs): Each PHEV registered must have at least 0.8 kW total power output provided by publicly accessible recharging stations.

These targets ensure that the infrastructure deployment is aligned with vehicle uptake, thereby supporting the EU’s broader environmental and mobility goals.

Calculation of Target Output for Member States

The target power output for each Member State (denoted as Member State X) is computed by summing the products of the number of registered BEVs and PHEVs with their respective power output requirements:

Target Output=(Number of BEVs×1.3kW)+(Number of PHEVs×0.8kW)

The achievement of these targets is assessed by comparing the actual power output available through public infrastructure to the calculated target output, facilitating transparent and objective monitoring of progress towards AFIR compliance.

Text of the AFIR available at this link.

In accordance with Article 3 of Directive 2014/94/EU (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive), Member States were obliged to adopt National Policy Frameworks (NPFs) and report them to the European Commission by 18 November 2016. NPFs should include national targets for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure in the respective Member State. 

The Directive furthermore sets (qualitative) requirements for the roll-out of infrastructure for recharging electric vehicles in urban and suburban areas and refueling natural gas vehicles in urban and suburban areas and on the TEN-T core network. It also contains provisions for LNG infrastructure on the core network and in (inland and maritime) ports. It is largely in the discretion of Member States to set requirements for hydrogen infrastructure through the NPFs. The recitals of the Directive recommend some specific metrics for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, while others have been suggested by the Commission in its assessment of the NPFs.

Under the reporting obligations of the Directive, the Commission is tasked with assessing the overall relevance and effectiveness of NPFs and their coherence at Union level. The assessment of the deployment of infrastructure along the TEN-T network is of particular relevance.

For that reason, EAFO is now publishing the integral text of the National Policy Frameworks including an English translation where necessary, and will track progress towards meeting the targets established therein. We also provide an overview of the most important features of the National Policy Frameworks. 

Please note that the National Policy Frameworks have been formally assessed by the European Commission. The result of this work is available here.

More information.