Electric mobility: Utilization of charging stations for electric cars increasing

In times of high fuel prices, the utilization of public charging stations for electric vehicles is increasing, according to operator reports. Vattenfall stated that its charging points in Germany have seen around two-thirds more electricity being charged since the start of the year compared to the previous year. The Swedish company attributed the trend to higher demand due to rising fuel prices and the expansion of the charging infrastructure.

Major providers in the country echoed this assessment of utilization. EnBW, by far the largest operator of charging points, reported that overall utilization was low because there were many charging options. However, EnBW described the low level of utilization as "generally very good." The second-largest operator, Eon, said: "We see in principle an increasing use of the public charging infrastructure."

The Essen-based energy company attributed the development primarily to the growing spread of electric vehicles. EWE reported that their charging points were 30 percent more utilized on average than last year. The Oldenburg energy provider gave concrete figures, stating that the number of electric vehicles being registered was increasing and the cost of oil was rising.

BP, the energy provider Aral in Bochum, also reported that the utilization of fast charging points was increasing. "The continuous growth is certainly due to the rise of electromobility in Germany with a sharp increase in new registrations." Few points were simultaneously occupied, according to the E-Mobility Monitor of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW).

The BDEW noted that the low simultaneous occupation showed that the expansion of the charging offer lagged behind the full electrification of passenger cars. The BDEW distinguishes between charging points and charging stations. A charging point can have several charging points and only one vehicle can be charged at one point at a time.