Romania has fallen six places in Roland Berger’s EV Charging Index, now ranking 25th out of 30 markets. The study highlights the need for Romania to accelerate its expansion of charging infrastructure, despite the growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.
The EV Charging Index analyzes trends in the e-mobility sector across 31 indicators and is based on industry interviews, primary research, and a survey of 16,000 participants. China leads the ranking with the highest score of 82, followed by Germany, the United States, the Netherlands, and Norway.
While Romania has seen a positive increase in EV sales penetration, reaching 13% in 2022 just below the global average of 16%, the study emphasizes the importance of improving the charging infrastructure. At the end of 2022, Romania had a vehicle-to-point ratio of 13.7, slightly better than the global average. However, the number of charging stations in the country only increased by 5% last year, well below the global average of 21%.
Szabolcs Nemes, managing partner at Roland Berger Romania, notes that range anxiety is higher in Romania compared to other EU countries. Thus, there is a need for accelerated expansion of charging stations, with a focus on fast and ultra-fast charging, to keep up with the increasing electric and hybrid vehicle fleet.
To address these challenges, Romania has committed to tripling the current number of charging stations by 2026 through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). If the trend of predominantly installing fast and ultra-fast charging stations continues, it is expected to give a significant boost to the local EV market.
While three-quarters of EV owners in Romania are satisfied with the overall charging experience, there is room for improvement in terms of charging speed. Only 51% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the charging speed at public stations, slightly lower than the global average of 56%.
In conclusion, while Romania has made progress in EV adoption, the country must accelerate the expansion of its charging infrastructure to address range anxiety and keep up with the growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Sources:
– Roland Berger’s EV Charging Index
– Romania-Insider.com article by Irina Marica