The Transport and Tourism Committee adopted a draft negotiating mandate, under the Fit for 55 package, on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure by 36 votes to 2 and 6 abstentions on Monday evening. It aims to spur the deployment of recharging or alternative refuelling stations (such as electric or hydrogen) for cars, trucks, trains and planes and support the uptake of sustainable vehicles.
MEPs agreed to set minimum mandatory national targets for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure and to ask EU countries to present their plan by 2024 on how to achieve it.
Cars should be able to recharge every 60 km and refuel hydrogen every 100 km, while ships use on-shore power supply at ports, to help the EU become climate neutral by 2050.
Committee on Transport and Tourism
According to the adopted text, electric charging pools for cars would have to be deployed at least every 60 km along main EU roads by 2026. For trucks and buses, the same requirements would apply by 2026, but only on core TEN-T networks.
MEPs also want charging stations for trucks in a safe and secure parking place to be deployed more quickly: two charging stations from 2028 instead of one from 2031 as proposed by the Commission. In all cases, some deployment exemptions would apply to outermost regions, islands and roads with very little traffic.
MEPs also suggest setting up more hydrogen refuelling stations along main EU roads compared to the Commission proposal (every 100 km as opposed to every 150 km) and to do it faster (by 2028 as opposed to by 2031). ” By expanding charging infrastructure more quickly, we are making the transition to climate-friendly mobility easier for people and the industry”, said EP rapporteur on alternative fuels infrastructure Ismail Ertug.
The deployment of recharging or alternative refuelling stations, such as electric or hydrogen, for cars, trucks, trains and planes are of crucial importance for Europe’s decarbonization.
Ismail Ertug, EP rapporteur on alternative fuels infrastructure
Users of alternative fuel vehicles should be able to pay easily, the price should be displayed per kWh or per kg, be affordable, comparable and accessible to all vehicle brands. MEPs also want an EU access point for alternative fuels data to be set up by 2027 to provide information on the availability, waiting times and prices at different stations.
Transport MEPs also voted through a draft negotiating mandate on sustainable maritime fuels rules (FuelEU Maritime) by 36 votes to 6 and 2 abstentions, the same evening. It aims to cut maritime sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships by 2% as of 2025, 20% as of 2035 and 80% as of 2050 (Commission proposed a 13% and 75% reduction).
