Germany’s Federal Council has passed the “Law for the Provision of Comprehensive Fast Charging Infrastructure for Pure Battery Electric Vehicles”, or SchnellLG for short. With this law, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) has the legal basis for the targeted expansion of a Germany-wide network of fast-charging points.

With 1,000 additional fast charging hubs, a close-knit fast charging infrastructure network is to be created, which guarantees that the demand can be met even at peak times and in previously uneconomical locations as the number of registrations for electric vehicles increases. Around €2 billion is planned for the construction and operation of the fast-charging infrastructure.

The next fast charging station must be reachable in a few minutes. That is why we are building 1,000 fast charging hubs nationwide by 2023. With the Fast Charging Act, we have now created the legal basis to start the Europe-wide tender and thus the construction of the new locations. Only with a nationwide and user-friendly charging infrastructure can we get people excited about switching to climate-friendly e-cars. Fast charging with more than 150 kilowatts in particular is crucial for an unrestricted range of e- cars—whether in the city, on the country road or on the motorway.

—Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer

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In close cooperation with the BMVI, the National Control Center for Charging Infrastructure (NLL) has been coordinating and managing activities for expanding the charging infrastructure in Germany since 2020 under the umbrella of NOW GmbH.

A first tendering process for the fast-charging hubs will be started before the summer break in order to ensure the efficient development of the planned network for long-distance and medium-haul traffic. The concept of the tender will be presented to the German Bundestag shortly. The tender is scheduled to start in summer 2021.

A High Power Charging (HPC) charging infrastructure with a capacity of at least 150 kW at the respective charging points is to be put out to tender. The aim is to ensure fast charging for medium and long-distance mobility, in addition to the existing or being developed private, public and commercial charging infrastructure, which will continue to be funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

The NLL uses data on mobility and charging behavior, on vehicle types and the existing charging infrastructure to analyze charging requirements. To do this, it uses a digital tool called StandortTOOL. Based on the analyzes, areas (search areas) for the establishment of fast charging locations are tendered.

The invitation to tender will be made in at least 18 regional lots. The lots contain the previously defined search areas. The lots will be of different sizes. The interests of medium-sized companies are taken into account in the formation of the lot. In addition, there will be nationwide lots at rest areas along the federal motorways.

For the bidders, the construction and guarantee of the operation of the charging points are contractually binding—unlike in previous and ongoing funding programs. The federal government also defines supply and quality standards at the locations of the fast charging network and ensures compliance with them.