10 truths about Europe’s electric vehicle charging potential

Electrifying transport is a challenge as complex as it is rewarding. Here are ten significant, but overlooked, truths about the value of slow charging in the European EV infrastrcture.

It’s counter-intuitive: our parked EVs, usually considered static assets, hold transformative energy potential. A BloombergNEF study projects that by 2030, the collective energy capacity of EV batteries in Europe will reach 114 TWh. That’s enough to power 100 million homes for just under 5 days.

The importance here isn’t volume, but in the distributed nature of EVs, which effectively creates a new layer of grid resilience by leveraging an already widely available asset.

Efficiency is about optimising resources and for smart charging, it’s about timing energy intake. In certain markets intelligently scheduling EV charging to coincide with periods of low electricity prices could realise annual savings of up to €2,700. This is a direct consequence of combining dynamic pricing with algorithms that precisely match demand to the most economical supply.

Individually owned cars are often criticised for being idle most of the time, but[MA1]  an EV’s idle time can become a productive asset for national energy grids. Bidirectional charging (V2G) allows EVs to not only draw power but also to feed it back into the grid during peak demand. This capability could drastically reduce the need for grid infrastructure investments, and potentially save Europe an estimated €12 billion annually from 2025. Parked EVs become active participants in energy management and grid stability.

The laws of physics make fast charging overrated and inefficient. Slow charging meets most people’s needs and luckily, it’s more efficient. When slow charging is paired with renewable energy sources, like home solar, the overall CO₂ footprint is reduced by as much as 60% compared to fast charging powered by fossil fuels. The lesson here is in the efficiency gained in deliberate and unhurried energy transfer.

The lifecycle of an EV battery extends beyond its orginal use. Even after they’ve degraded, batteries have a second chance at life as stationary energy storage. Repurposing them for charging station buffers or grid support effectively prevents 16 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year, by 2040. This is a shift towards a more circular and resource-conscious economy.

The concept of dedicated "charging stations" as the sole solution overlooks a glaring reality: vehicles are typically parked for 23 hours a day. This underutilised idle time makes integrating chargers seamlessly into the urban infrastructure a logical and lucrative strategy. Cities like Oslo are already piloting on-street charging facilities to demonstrate how existing urban spaces can be intelligently repurposed for the energy infrastructure.

AI algorithms can analyse real-time electricity prices, grid load, weather patterns and traffic flow to precisely optimise charging schedules for cost-effectiveness and environmental impact. This intelligence reduces peak-period grid loads by 40% and improves operations and network stability.

Here’s an interesting economic dynamic: your parked EV can become a source of income. By participating in flexibility markets, an EV owner could earn an additional €300 - €500 annually. This happens when the EV releases stored electricity back to the grid during specific periods of high demand and high prices. It’s a direct financial incentive for optimising energy flow from a distributed asset.

The traditional "filling station" model for vehicle fuelling is fundamentally being reshaped for EVs. Eurelectric projects that over 70% of charging will happen at “long-stay locations” like homes and workplaces[MA3] . This reduces the need for public fast-charging infrastructure and encourages EV adoption and ownership.

The challenge of integrating intermittent renewable energy sources, like wind and solar boils down to managing surplus generation. EV charging, particularly smart charging, offers a flexible load that can absorb this surplus energy, The ability to balance fluctuating supply could drive continued investment in renewable energy capacity. These investments could potentially increase renewable energy’s share in the EU’s energy mix to 72% by 2030, and accelerate the broader energy transition

These sources provide the data underpinning these insights. Electric vehicles as battery storage vs. hydropower

BloombergNEF. (2023). Electric Vehicle Outlook 2023. Retrieved from https://about.bnef.com/electric-vehicle-outlook/

1.      Smart charging and energy costs

European Environment Agency (EEA). (2022). Electric vehicles and energy efficiency. Retrieved from https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/electric-vehicles-and-energy

2.      Bidirectional charging (V2G) and grid stability

Kempton, W., & Tomic, J. (2021). Vehicle-to-grid power fundamentals: Calculating capacity and net revenue. Journal of Power Sources, 259, 60-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2021.05.010

3.      Slow charging vs. rapid charging (CO₂ footprint)

International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). (2022). Lifecycle emissions of electric vehicles in Europe. Retrieved from https://theicct.org/life-cycle-ev-emissions-europe-2022

4.      Second-life batteries

Ahmadi, L., et al. (2020). Environmental feasibility of reusing electric vehicle batteries. Nature Sustainability, 3(9), 747-755. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0486-9

5.      Integration of charging points in cities

City of Oslo. (2023). EV Infrastructure Plan 2025. Retrieved from https://www.oslo.kommune.no/elbil

6.      AI for charging optimisation

McKinsey & Company. (2023). How AI can accelerate the EV transition. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive/our-insights/ev-charging-ai

7.      Revenue from flexibility markets

Eurelectric. (2022). Decarbonisation through electrification. Retrieved from https://www.eurelectric.org/publications

8.      Home and workplace charging

European Commission. (2023). Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). Retrieved from https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/infrastructure/afir_en

9.      EV charging and renewable energy

IRENA. (2023). Renewable energy integration with electric vehicles. Retrieved from https://www.irena.org/publications