German Federal Government adopts 2030 Charging Infrastructure Master Plan

Presented as a draft by the German Federal Ministry of Transport (Bundesministerium für Verkehr – the “Ministry”) back in October, the 2030 Charging Infrastructure Master Plan was approved with some amendments by the federal cabinet on 19 November 2025 (Federal Government press release (in German); 2030 Charging Infrastructure Master Plan). This is already the federal government's third charging infrastructure master plan, following two earlier versions in 2019 and 2022. With a total of 41 measures, the plan is intended to achieve the goals set out in the coalition agreement to expand the charging infrastructure in Germany.

The aim of the master plan is to develop a nationwide, user-friendly charging network in Germany that meets demand, for cars as well as lorries and buses. This is based on a focus on competition, cost efficiency and security of supply.

The German government assumes that there is already a very good supply of publicly accessible charging infrastructure for cars in Germany. The minimum targets specified in the AFIR (Regulation (EU) 2023/1804) have already been exceeded by around 200 per cent. Accordingly, in addition to the pure quantity, the focus should now increasingly be on the quality of the charging infrastructure, i.e. ensuring that charging is reliable and easy.

In addition to the further development of the charging infrastructure, the German government has also identified a need to ensure that charging point capacities are utilised more by increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road. The master plan is therefore also linked to measures already adopted in this regard, such as extending the motor vehicle tax exemption for electric vehicles until 2035 and reducing grid charges. The German government also believes that the automotive industry has a responsibility to further increase market penetration with innovative and attractive offerings.

A. Overview of the measures

The master plan provides for 41 specific measures which are divided into five core fields of action, including

• boosting demand and investments,
• facilitating and speeding up implementation,
• increasing competition and price transparency,
• improving power grid integration,
• enhancing user friendliness and innovation.

The measures facilitate investment, authorisation and usage conditions for the development of charging infrastructure, strengthen competition and increase the transparency and comparability of charging prices, support the development of charging infrastructure in multi-party buildings, maintenance and storage facilities and depots, and they improve grid integration and promote innovations such as bidirectional charging.

I. Boosting demand and investments

The German government is bundling nine measures in this field of action. The focus is on considerable investment in the charging of electric lorries, including targeted investment grants. In addition, areas owned by the federal government are intended to be made available. All measures are subject to the availability of budget funds.

For the new charging points to pay off, the number of electrically powered vehicles must increase. To this end, the German government is relying on the investment booster that has already been agreed, the extension of the motor vehicle tax exemption for electric vehicles until 2035 and relief on grid charges. In addition, the ministries have been requested to present proposals for the targeted promotion of climate-friendly mobility, particularly for households with low and medium incomes, in a timely manner.

A key promise is to facilitate charging at home in apartment blocks. The Ministry will provide financial support for the development and also take into account the costs of upgrading the grid connection and the buildings’ electrical systems. The Ministry has announced that it will publish details of the funding at the beginning of August 2026.

For the commercial sector, separate funding guidelines are planned to apply from 2026. They are to promote the development of efficient charging infrastructure in depots and maintenance and storage facilities for electrically powered lorries and buses. At European level, the German government would also like to revise Article 36a(8) of the GBER (Regulation (EU) No. 651/2014) to enable the use of subsidised non-public charging infrastructure by third parties; a measure that was missing in the original draft.

A total of 350 motorway service stations along the federal motorways are to be equipped with charging infrastructure for electric lorries. Away from the motorways, the German government wants to promote the development of publicly accessible charging infrastructure for lorries, for example at service stations and in commercial areas, taking competition aspects into account.

To make it easier for German projects to access European AFIF funds, it is being examined whether development bank KfW or its subsidiary KfW IPEX Bank should be certified as an “implementing partner”. The German government is also in favour of increasing the proportion of funds that can be used without an implementing partner.

II. Facilitating and speeding up implementation

The second field of action is dedicated to procedures. The German government wants to remove obstacles from planning and authorisation processes. At the same time, the general intention is to avoid the use of additional unsealed areas in the development of charging infrastructure.

One key element is the necessary amendment to the Federal Building Electromobility Infrastructure Act (Gesetz zum Aufbau einer gebäudeintegrierten Lade- und Leitungsinfrastruktur für die Elektromobilität) based on the new Article 14 of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), Directive (EU) 2025/1275 (see our Insight on this). Implementation must take place by May 2026 and should be application- and needs-based. Pooling solutions and flexibilisation options are to be retained.

There is often not enough space for large-scale loading hubs in indoor areas. However, with the current legal situation, they can hardly be realised in outdoor areas. In contrast to the draft, the final master plan no longer provides for mandatory privileges for outdoor areas, which were limited to those in the immediate proximity of federal trunk roads. Instead, conditional privileges in addition to a streamlined planning procedure or preferential treatment within the meaning of section 35(4) of the Federal Construction Code (Baugesetzbuch) are only mentioned as possible solutions to the problem which are to be further elaborated.

At the same time, an interpretation note is to be added to the Federal Land Use Ordinance (Baunutzungsverordnung) for planned indoor areas to ensure that charging parks are no longer confused with traditional petrol stations and are therefore generally permitted in all building zones. In addition, the Model Building Regulations (Musterbauordnung) are to be amended so that in future, parking spaces with charging points will also be considered necessary parking spaces for the purposes of the parking space certificate.

In the vicinity of federal motorways, federally owned areas already sealed are to be made available to Autobahn GmbH des Bundes, the company responsible for Germany’s motorways, for the construction of publicly accessible charging stations. The Federal Trunk Roads Act (Bundesfernstraßengesetz) will be amended for this purpose. The Ministry is also drawing up a long-term plan for charging on the motorway. Off the federal motorway, too, federally owned, already sealed areas are to be increasingly used for charging infrastructure.

Unlike in the draft, the final version no longer provides that the charging point operator's dual obligation to report data – to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) under the Federal Charging Point Ordinance (Ladesäulenverordnung) and to Mobilithek, Germany’s national access point and data platform for mobility data, under the AFIR – will cease to apply in all cases. There is now only a request to examine whether data reporting under the AFIR and Charging Point Ordinance can be designed to minimise bureaucracy.

III. Increasing competition and price transparency

Electric driving should be as predictable as refuelling. The aim is to create a clear framework for price transparency, digital price information and dynamic competition. At the same time, the use of public space needs fair and competitive procedures so that a variety of offerings is created and a reliable regulatory framework strengthens the market.

According to Article 20 AFIR, operators must already make their ad hoc prices available via the Mobilithek. An access point is now to be created via which the data provided in accordance with the AFIR, including the ad hoc price data of all charging infrastructure operators, can be retrieved in a bundled form in order to guarantee price transparency for consumers. This will be achieved through a revision of the Federal Act on Intelligent Transport Systems in the field of road transport and for interfaces with other modes of transport (Gesetz über Intelligente Verkehrssysteme im Straßenverkehr und deren Schnittstellen zu anderen Verkehrsträgern) and an amendment to the Price Information Ordinance (Preisangabenverordnung). As for third-party providers, rules are to apply to ensure that data is passed on in an unbiased, up-to-date, complete and non-misleading manner. As a further addition compared to the draft, more transparency is to be created for consumers in contract-based charging; a working group is to draw up proposals for this.

In addition to its statement on the Energy Sector Report presented by the German Monopolies Commission (Monopolkommission), the Federal Government is also advocating for specifying the requirements for pricing in accordance with Article 5(3) and (5) AFIR with the European Commission.

In addition, the federal government intends to examine a new regulation on competitive tendering in the public road sector in order to prevent regional monopolies that have already been observed.

IV. Improving power grid integration

The aim is to increase transparency and efficiency when connecting charging infrastructure to the electricity grid and to improve planning security for operators.

The grid connection procedure in the medium-voltage range is to be digitalised and standardised for this purpose. At the same time, more transparency is to be created regarding available grid connection capacities. In contrast to the draft, however, there is no longer a mandatory online tool for this, but only a check as to whether there is a need for regulatory adjustments. In addition, feedback deadlines and obligations are to be introduced when responding to grid connection requests.

In addition, demand forecasts for the transport sector are to be further developed to promote forward-looking network expansion.

At the same time, the master plan is driving forward bidirectional charging. Bidirectional charging is to be taken into account in funding programmes. Based on the digitalisation of electricity grids and a European framework to be created it is intended to grow as a business model. Electricity tax law is also to be adapted to this.

V. Enhancing user friendliness and innovation

The fifth thematic block focusses on the everyday lives of users. Night-time charging in public spaces, the needs of long-distance transport and the special requirements of people with disabilities are taken into account. For this, the user-friendliness of the charging infrastructure is to be monitored, among other things.

The Federal Electric Mobility Act (Elektromobilitätsgesetz) is to be extended and its scope is to be expanded to cover other vehicle classes so that local authorities can continue to grant preferential treatment beyond 2026. In order to make night-time urban traffic more user-friendly, the German government is advocating vis-à-vis the European Commission for the non-application of blocking fees at normal charging points for cars between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. or while charging is still in progress; a clarification in the explanatory memorandum to the German Price Regulation is also being examined. New fast-charging offerings are to provide for a minimum number of barrier-free charging points. At EU level, the German government is also advocating a standardised framework for reservation systems and their connection to the National Access Point and the European Access Point.

The master plan attaches great importance to protecting the systems. Measures are to be developed to prevent and combat cable theft, while at the same time investigating how damaged cables can be replaced without the need for costly recalibration. At the same time, the Federal Office for Information Security (Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik) is assessing cyber security in the charging infrastructure. The aim is to harmonise security standards across the EU.

As for electric lorries, it will be possible to benefit from privileges in accordance with the Federal Electric Mobility Act for which an amendment to the Federal Road Traffic Regulations (Straßenverkehrsordnung) with standardised and binding signage is planned. The German government also advocates standardised labelling of electric vehicles throughout Europe. Plus, to promote the ramp-up of electric vehicles, it is intended to technically harmonise battery replacement systems. To this end, a DIN SPEC for exchangeable batteries is to be developed.

The topic of charging autonomous vehicles and autonomous charging was added to the adopted version. The entry into force of the Remote-Controlled Vehicles Regulation (Straßenverkehr-Fernlenk-Verordnung) at the end of 2025 will open up new application potential. The National Centre for Charging Infrastructure (Nationale Leitstelle) is therefore commissioning a study on the potential and implications and is participating in industry initiatives.

To this end, a data-based expansion scenario is to be drawn up first, ensuring dovetailing with the commercial vehicle sector.

B. Outlook

With the cabinet’s decision, an ambitious plan is on the table. Numerous measures require amendments to existing laws, including to the Federal Building Electromobility Infrastructure Act, the Construction Code, the Federal Trunk Roads Act, the Act on Intelligent Transport Systems in the field of road transport and for interfaces with other modes of transport, the Price Information Ordinance, the Federal Electric Mobility Act and the Road Traffic Regulations; close cooperation between the federal government, the federal states, local authorities and industry will be necessary. Implementation should primarily be carried out by the Interministerial Steering Group on Charging Infrastructure (Interministerielle Steuerungsgruppe Ladeinfrastruktur) under the joint leadership of the Ministry and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie).

To a certain extent, the weakening of individual points in the finalised master plan compared to the Ministry’s October draft is disappointing. It remains to be seen to what degree and at what speed the measures will be implemented, particularly in view of the far-reaching budgetary reservations.

The industry is closely monitoring how quickly the plans are materialising. Initial feedback from associations – in some cases still on the draft – shows approval and clearly formulated expectations.

The coming months will show whether the measures under the master plan will be accompanied by a noticeable change at charging stations. It is crucial that the announced legal arrangements are drawn up and adopted quickly so that funding programmes can be launched, approval procedures accelerated and digital processes become a reality. If this succeeds, Germany can assert itself as a leading market for convenient and innovative charging and pave the way for the further ramp-up of electromobility.