Belgium has reached the milestone of 100,000 public charging points for electric vehicles, putting it in the top three EU countries for charging points per inhabitant. The numbers were announced by sector federation EV Belgium, which wants to see the figure double by 2030.
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Belgium reaches electric vehicle milestone with 100,000 public charging points
Stef Van Chaze
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Ten years ago, electric cars and charging stations were rare in Belgium. Today, there are more than 650,000 plug-in vehicles — 380,000 of which are fully electric — and 100,000 public charging points.
The number is equal to 7.6 charging points per 1,000 inhabitants. Only Denmark, with 7.7, and the Netherlands, with 11, have more. France and Germany – which have just over 2 charging points per 1,000 inhabitants – lag far behind.
Europe reached the milestone of 1 million public charging points this summer. In Belgium, Flanders has around 77,000, Wallonia more than 13,000 and Brussels just under 10,000. Taken in isolation, Flanders is on a par with the Netherlands in terms of points per capita.
“The fact that there are more charging points in Flanders can be explained, on the one hand, by the fact that there is more housing stress,” says Philippe Vangeel of EV Belgium.
“People live closer together, which makes them more dependent on public charging stations. This is especially true in cities, where charging at home is not always an option. We see the same thing in the Netherlands.”
Rapid progress
Wallonia has more space, so home charging is more often possible. Vangeel: “But the fact is that Wallonia needs to step up its efforts in terms of charging infrastructure. Unlike the previous government, the current Walloon government is working on this.”
The rapid progress is the result of policy choices at European, national and regional level. An active policy has been pursued for years to make the vehicle fleet greener.
However, according to EV Belgium, the ceiling is still far from being reached. By 2030, the federation expects 220,000 public charging points in Belgium, more than double the current number.
The future of electric mobility in Belgium is clear. The move to 100,000 charging points is the ultimate proof that it is feasible
One in three cars registered this year is fully electric, and EV Belgium expects there to be 2 million electric cars on the road in five years. Electric commercial vehicles will remain fiscally attractive during this legislative period, as fossil fuel-powered cars become less advantageous.
Manufacturers are continuing to invest in technology that will enable electric cars to travel further, while more compact and affordable models are coming onto the market.
Obstacles remain
However, the relatively high purchase price, combined with high electricity prices and lower driving range, are still an obstacle for people who cannot buy an electric car through their work.
“But the future of electric mobility in Belgium is clear,” says Vangeel. “The move to 100,000 charging points is the ultimate proof that it is feasible.”