Germany appears poised to pass a revolutionary law that would require 80% of gas stations in the country to install fast-charging stations with at least 150 kilowatts of power for electric vehicles.
At the IAA Mobility show in Munich in early September, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the German car industry's efforts to move toward electrification and announced that Germany would be the first European country to enact such a law, as Reuters reports.
Scholz believes more charging stations will ease concerns over range. Germany currently has 90,000 public charging stations but has set a goal of having 1 million by 2030, according to The Drive. The hope is that with more charging stations, more German citizens will feel comfortable buying EVs.
Germany currently has roughly 1.2 million EVs on the road but hopes to reach 15 million by 2030, per Reuters. Concerns about limited range and number of charging stations, along with the cost of EVs, have turned some German citizens away from going electric, especially in rural areas, The Drive reports.
It's no coincidence that Scholz made the announcement at the IAA Mobility show, the largest auto show in Europe. The introduction of lower-cost EVs was front and center at the show this year, according to TechCrunch.
If Germany accomplishes its goal of going from 1.2 million to 15 million EVs, theoretically removing nearly 14 million combustion engine cars from the road, that would be a huge step in cutting back on harmful pollution that contributes to the planet's warming.
Studies show that a midsized EV produces between 60% and 68% less harmful pollutants over the vehicle's life than a gas-powered car.
If successful, Germany could set an example for other countries looking to increase the usage of EVs and boost the necessary infrastructure.
"We can increase our [well-being] with great products," Scholz said, "and they will be carbon-neutral."
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