Simple e-car charging in the mass market: Digital conference highlights new requirements for charging infrastructure

What does a user-friendly and future-proof charging infrastructure need to look like in order to meet the requirements of the mass market? Experts met to discuss this question on March 18, 2025 at the digital conference „Einfach laden. For the mass market“, organized by the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH.

There are currently almost 160,000 publicly accessible charging points throughout Germany, with fast HPC (High Power Charging) in particular accounting for 15 percent. Johannes Pallasch, Head and Spokesperson of the National Charging Infrastructure Control Center at NOW GmbH: „We are well on the way towards the mass market when it comes to expanding the charging infrastructure. However, we need to take a closer look at the various use cases. In rural areas or densely populated residential areas, there is often still far too little publicly accessible charging infrastructure. Targeted measures must be taken to ensure that charging is easily possible everywhere. To this end, it is important to better understand the requirements of new customers in the mass market and to meet them. This is because their demands on the charging infrastructure and charging itself are fundamentally different from those of previous user groups. They will determine the route for the further market ramp-up.“

Decisive phase for the ramp-up of electromobility reached

There are currently just under 1.6 million e-cars (excluding plug-in hybrids) registered in Germany, which accounts for just over 3% of all vehicles. This percentage has grown steadily over the last few years. This means that the ramp-up of electromobility has now reached a decisive phase. It is no longer just innovation and technology enthusiasts and the particularly environmentally conscious who drive an electric car. E-mobility has now reached the next segment of buyers, the so-called „early adopters“. Compared to the e-car pioneers, the early adopters have different motives for using the technology and different expectations of it. Their experiences with electromobility and charging can therefore be decisive for how quickly and successfully e-mobility establishes itself on the mass market. The early adopters act as multipliers to convince the mass market of the benefits of climate-friendly mobility.

Charging must be easy everywhere

The basis for a positive charging experience for the new user groups is a well-developed, publicly accessible charging infrastructure that is available nationwide, user-friendly and reliable. It is important that charging is possible quickly and conveniently at any time and in many places with a high quality of stay and can be easily integrated into everyday life. Other key points are fair and transparent charging prices and simple operation and payment during the charging process.

Exchange with experts from politics and business

Dr. Franziska Lobas-Funck, head of the Understanding team at the National Charging Infrastructure Control Center, presented the latest figures and developments on the stock, demand and utilization of charging infrastructure in Germany.
Nikolaus Oberkandler, Head of the Electromobility and Charging Infrastructure Division at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMDV), emphasized the central role of the control center for a charging infrastructure expansion in Germany based on data and facts.

In the panel discussion that followed, the participants shared their perspectives on the question „Charging in the mass market: what is important?“ and answered questions from the audience. The panel was attended by Dr. Axel Sprenger, founder and managing director of UScale GmbH, Johanna Kardel, Head of Regulatory Affairs Energy at Elli / VW Group, Matthias Vogt, Vehicle Technology Officer for Electromobility at ADAC e.V. and Stefan Moeller, Managing Director of nextmove GmbH.

The recording of the conference will be available on the Youtube channel of NOW GmbH made available.

Keynote speech by Johannes Pallasch

Keynote speech by Dr. Franziska Lobas-Funck

Photo: NOW GmbH
From left to right: Johannes Pallasch (National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH), Dr. Axel Sprenger (UScale GmbH), Johanna Kardel (Elli / VW Group), Nikolaus Oberkandler (BMDV), Dr. Franziska Lobas-Funck (National Centre for Charging Infrastructure at NOW GmbH), Matthias Vogt (ADAC e.V.), Stefan Moeller, (nextmove GmbH)