The infrastructure for electric vehicle (EV) charging remains a challenge requiring efficient solutions to accelerate broader adoption and support the ongoing transition to sustainable mobility. While private homeowners can more easily install chargers at home, residential communities and individuals without private parking face greater obstacles.
Although the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which came into effect in May 2024, set clear requirements for installing EV chargers in new buildings and those undergoing significant renovations, there are no clear provisions for existing residential buildings.
The organization Transport & Environment (T&E) explored the challenges of developing this infrastructure in buildings and public spaces in a new briefing. Due to the lack of comprehensive data on this topic, T&E conducted a survey to collect experiences from EV drivers. Additionally, interviews with relevant stakeholders in six major European markets—Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and Poland—were conducted to assess regulatory frameworks, barriers, and opportunities.
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Key Barriers
Based on the responses, the main barrier identified is the complex and lengthy process of obtaining approval from landlords or co-owners, which can take years. Regulatory frameworks across Europe are underdeveloped; many countries lack provisions allowing tenants or co-owners to install chargers easily. The right to a connection is unevenly implemented, and even where it exists, it often applies only to property owners, leaving tenants dependent on landlords’ approval.
In almost all surveyed countries, misinformation and a lack of awareness among stakeholders about their rights and obligations were observed, even in cases where the law guarantees the right to a connection. Moreover, the extensive administrative procedures complicate the process, especially when rules are not harmonized between regions and municipalities, as seen in Spain, where each autonomous region has its own regulations.
Another significant issue is the high cost of installing chargers in residential buildings. Estimates suggest that the total cost for a simple installation not requiring construction work amounts to around 2,500 euros per parking space. Factors such as the age of the building or the distance between the parking space and the electrical panel further drive up costs. Financial support programs are particularly needed for vulnerable populations.
Additionally, the electrical installations in most existing residential buildings were not designed to support EV charging and lack the capacity to manage additional load.
Proposed Solutions
To overcome these challenges, T&E suggests extending the right to a connection to both owners and tenants, coupled with a simplified procedure requiring only notification to other residents, without the need for their approval. Opposition to the project would be permissible only for clearly defined reasons, such as safety concerns.
Currently, the EPBD does not impose specific obligations for improving EV charging infrastructure in existing residential buildings, focusing primarily on new and renovated structures. This highlights the need for strategies that would enable the modernization of the existing housing stock.
