EU buildings law must ensure uptake of charging infrastructure for Electric Vehicles

Wednesday’s MEP vote on the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) must ensure that European buildings contribute to unlocking the potential of electric mobility through the deployment of charging infrastructure. This is crucial to speed up the market penetration of electric vehicles and the decarbonisation of the road transport sector.

“The European strategy for decarbonisation of buildings must reflect the importance of decarbonised electricity in the energy transition,” said EURELECTRIC Secretary General, Kristian Ruby. “The integration of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in the revision of this Directive is crucial to speed up the market penetration of electric vehicles and thereby the decarbonisation of the road transport sector.”

EURELECTRIC calls on the European Parliament to adopt these key measures:

• EV charging points should also be installed in public parking lots and buildings of mixed use. Support Amendments 396, 397, 399 and 406.
• Smart charging points are key enablers for sector coupling. Make them the standard.
• All tenants and co-owners should have the right to install a charging point. Support Amendment 407.
• Electric vehicles are not only for big companies. SMEs should not be excluded from the benefits of e-mobility. Support Amendments 365 and 366.

Looking a step further, Europe must seize the opportunity and shape the future of mobility in the upcoming Mobility Package. EURELECTRIC calls on the Commission to:

• Include a definition of “clean vehicles” in the revised Clean Vehicles Directive, based on a threshold of below 50g CO2 emission/km at tailpipe.
• Implement strict and coherently tested emission standards for light duty vehicles and heavy duty vehicles, as well as separate targets for the take up of zero emission vehicles.
• Unlock smart charging, which will offer significant benefits both to the electricity system as well as to the final customers.

EURELECTRIC’s voting recommendations on the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive can be found here.