Overview
The Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure defines a common framework of measures for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure in the European Union in order to minimize dependence on oil and to mitigate the environmental impact of transport. It sets out minimum requirements for the building-up of alternative fuels infrastructure, including networks of standardized multi-standard charging points with non-discriminatory access for Electric Vehicles (EV). The current lack of interoperable recharging infrastructure is the key barrier to development of the market for EV. Interventions for stimulating implementation of such infrastructure are therefore necessary.
The Action’s overall objective is to foster EV use across Europe, therefore significantly contributing to the European alternative fuels implementation strategy. The Action, including a study and real-life pilot deployments, is implemented along the road core network in Belgium, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. To deliver on the overall objective of the Action, there are two specific objectives, which will be met by carrying out four defined activities within the Action.
The first specific objective is to understand all necessary technical economic and customer-related requirements to ensure EU-wide standardized interoperability between different national and transnational networks of multi-standard fast charging stations. This objective will be met through a study (activity 2) building on the connection to existing e-mobility roaming platforms (such as Gireve, Hubject or e-Clearing.net) allowing for long-term viability of affordable, publicly accessible and cross-border seamless e-mobility services. The study will set the foundation of and make recommendations for an EU-wide non-proprietary system based on open protocols and standards.
The second specific objective is to set up an interoperable link between UK, France, Belgium and Italy by connecting respectively the existing and under-deployment fast charging station pilots of two ongoing TEN-T Actions, namely n°2012-EU-13066-S "Accelerating the introduction of Electric Vehicle Rapid Charging by studying adoption and use along PP axes 13 and 26 in the UK and Ireland" (Rapid Charge Network – RCN) and n°2013-EU-92055-S "CORRI-DOOR", and deploying complementary interoperable multi-standard charging infrastructures in Belgium and Italy. Cross-border e-mobility services and interoperability between these networks will be developed and assessed. This objective will be met by deploying and operating a pilot of 38 multi-standard fast charging stations (23 in Belgium, 4 in Italy plus 4 “22 kW” charging stations, 5 in France and 6 in the UK), (activity 3). Overall, this will lead to a continuous charging station network between Dublin and Genoa along the core network, enabling inter-city, inter-region and cross-border journeys. The pilot will provide through the evaluation of usage data an understanding of customers' needs and attitude to fast charging, notably when roaming abroad, and will respond to their expectations by removing existing technological, commercial and acceptance barriers, eventually encouraging a switch to EV. Recommendations will be made to reach EU-wide business readiness, consolidating experience from ongoing pilot EV projects.
The consolidated results of the Action will be widely disseminated at national and European levels (activity 4) and will provide recommendations for Member States, supporting decision-making on national and transnational roll outs of EV infrastructure. To ensure the Action is delivered on time and within budget, a Project Management activity (activity 1) is part of the Action.