The Federal Ministry of Transport and the Federal Highway Corporation have allocated land to create additional charging options for electric cars along the autobahns. The Ministry announced this move last Thursday. Currently, more than a quarter of newly registered passenger cars are fully electric, and this trend is expected to continue rising.
Private investors will now be able to build rapid charging stations at currently unmanaged rest areas. Federal Minister of Transport, Steffen Bilger (CDU), stated that opening up more space for charging stations at these unmanaged rest areas will provide additional fast-charging opportunities directly on the highway, saving drivers time and the need for detours. To ensure “adequate quality and transparent prices,” the application procedure for investors will be designed “as simple as possible.”
These planned additional locations are intended to complement the fast-charging infrastructure currently being built through the Deutschlandnetzes initiative across 200 unmanaged rest areas. The Federal Highway Corporation plans to begin the tender process for these sites in the spring of 2027. Furthermore, the Ministry is promoting the expansion of charging infrastructure for both passenger cars and trucks through various other measures.
