Public chargers for electric trucks will need to be provided at regular intervals along Europe’s primary and secondary motorways as well as in major cities under a new law.

According to The European Federation for Transport and Environment, the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation removes a key obstacle to the EU setting more ambitious CO₂ targets for trucks by ensuring there will be adequate public charging.

The law also requires charging infrastructure for cars to keep pace with the number of EVs in each EU country.

By 2030, governments must provide at least 3600kW of truck charging capacity every 60km along the EU’s primary motorways. On secondary motorways, at least 1500kW of truck charging capacity will need to be available every 100km.

By that year, charging hubs must be available in every major city, and there will need to be four charging stations in each designated ‘safe and secure truck parking area’.

T&E said the requirements mean there will be enough public charging to significantly increase the EU’s proposed CO₂reduction target in 2030 – which is key to driving the uptake of electric trucks.

The EU Commission has proposed only a 45% cut in CO₂ from new trucks sold in 2030, but the European Parliament and governments can increase that before the truck climate rules are finalised. The law requires enough hydrogen refuelling stations for the anticipated fleet of hydrogen trucks.

“Charging is often cited as the big obstacle to a faster roll-out of zero emissions trucks, but lawmakers have now removed that roadblock,” said Fabian Sperka, vehicles policy manager at T&E.

“The EU’s charging law unlocks more ambitious climate targets for truckmakers, which will in turn green European road freight. MEPs and governments can ramp up CO₂ targets for trucks with confidence that there will be plenty of charging available.”

For cars, new fleet-based targets mean that public charging infrastructure will need to expand in line with the uptake of electric vehicles. All main motorways will need to have a charging hub every 60km by 2025, and this requirement will be extended to all secondary highways by 2030.

All fast-charging stations in the EU will need to accept bank cards for payments.