With the tender for the Deutschlandnetz (Germany Network), the federal government is ensuring a nationwide, demand-oriented and user-friendly fast-charging network throughout Germany. With around 1,000 locations and a total of some 8,000 fast-charging points, it closes any remaining “white spots” on the charging map. The Deutschlandnetz ensures that the nearest fast-charging point can be reached in just a matter of minutes from anywhere in Germany.

The Deutschlandnetz tender:

A comprehensive charging infrastructure that meets demand and is available to all users without major detours or waiting times is needed to make the use of electric mobility suitable for user-friendly everyday use throughout Germany. The Fast Charging Act (SchnellLG – Schnellladegesetz) has given the BMDV the task of ensuring this nationwide and needs-based provision of fast charging infrastructure. The invitation to tender for the Deutschlandnetz ensures a basic supply of fast-charging infrastructure at the regional level as well as along highways.

With the tender, the federal government has deliberately chosen an instrument that expands and supplements the possibilities of the previously state-subsidized private-sector expansion of the charging infrastructure. The location of the approximately 1,000 sites is based on a comprehensive scientific transport needs analysis by the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure, which also takes the existing infrastructure into account. The tender anticipates both the increasing demand for fast-charging infrastructure in the coming years and the emerging technical developments. Each charging point in the Deutschlandnetz must therefore have a capacity of at least 300 kW.

The concept, which was approved by the Transport Committee of the German Bundestag in June 2021, sets out the basic features of the tendering process and the minimum requirements for the fast-charging sites to be built. The invitation to tender is issued in lots, each of which bundles economically desirable as well as less appealing sites that overlap each other in terms of their geographical coverage. The invitation to tender therefore prevents monopoly structures and supports the emergence of an intact competitive landscape that offers customers a range of choices. Within the competitive procedure, the evaluation criteria include not only costs but also concepts for site design and aspects of user-friendliness.

The awarding of contracts will occur within the scope of two partial invitations to tender. On October 1, 2021, the Central Office for Awarding Contracts and External Services of the BMDV published the award documents for the tender of 900 sites in rural, suburban and urban areas in 23 lots in six regions. On December 20, 2021, Autobahn GmbH published the tender for 200 sites in six lots at unmanaged rest areas. Applications for participation are no longer possible. The National Centre for Charging Infrastructure will provide information on the progress of the award procedures in due course.

900 regional search areas: Just minutes to the nearest fast-charging location anywhere in Germany

The 900 search areas in which the fast-charging locations will be created are distributed across 23 regional lots in a total of six regions (North-West, North-East, Central Germany, South-East, South-West and West).

These search areas define a specific territory, e.g., around a transportation hub. In each search area, a fast-charging site with at least 4 and up to 16 fast-charging points is to be established. Tenderers must submit or find suitable sites within these search areas.

These 900 sites will ensure that the nearest fast charging site can be reached in a matter of minutes nationwide. This eliminates the concern about non-existent charging infrastructure throughout the country.

200 locations along motorways: A charging option every 15 to 30 km along the highways

This invitation to tender for sites along the German highways is being conducted by the federal government’s Autobahn GmbH. In it, the construction and operation of a total of 200 new fast-charging sites will be awarded in six nationwide lots of 32 to 34 sites each. Each site includes 4, 6 or 8 fast-charging points.

The fast-charging sites will be constructed on unmanaged rest areas along federal motorways. These sites are a necessary addition to the charging infrastructure already built or planned at managed rest areas or motorway service stations.

In the future, the nearest fast-charging option along the federal highways will be within 15 to 30 km.