Electromobility: expansion of the charging infrastructure is making progress
The number of charging points in Germany grew by almost 25,000 within a year, with providers increasingly relying on direct current.
(Image: heise Autos / mfz)
The Federal Network Agency has presented new figures on the charging infrastructure for electric cars. On May 1, 2025, there were 128,198 public alternating current (AC) and 38,669 direct current (DC) charging points across Germany. The number of public charging points grew by almost 25,000 within a year. The total connected load of all charging facilities now stands at 6.45 GW. A slow shift from alternating current to direct current is becoming apparent in the expansion.
Differences in expansion
In the past, significantly more AC than DC charging points were connected to the grid. There were economic reasons for this, as a connection to the low-voltage grid – is usually sufficient for an AC charging point with up to 22 kW and this is comparatively densely connected. For DC charging points, the operator must connect to the medium-voltage grid, which can entail considerable costs depending on the location. However, it is then possible to sell more electricity per charging point, provided that the capacity is utilized. To illustrate: selling 40 kWh via alternating current occupies a charging point with a current e-car for at least two hours, while less than 15 minutes may be sufficient with direct current.
There are therefore reasons why more AC charging points are still being connected to the grid, but the difference is no longer as dramatic as in previous years. Specifically, the number of AC charging points rose by 13 percent from 113,375 to 128,198 within a year, while the number of DC charging points increased by 34Â percent from 28,961 to 38,669.
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EnBW leads the way
EnBW recently announced that it would be stretching its expansion targets for the charging infrastructure. Currently, demand is covered in many places. The statement is particularly explosive because it comes from the market leader. With 9309 charging points, EnBW has more than twice as many charging options to offer in Germany as second-placed E.ON, which has 4511 public charging points. Tesla is in third place (3246), followed by EWE Go (2763) and Mercedes-Benz (2711).
(mfz)