Kyriakos Christofidis | Regulatory Compliance Expert, LLB,BA

EV Anxiety is over !

European Union’s parliament saves the day, again. Back in July 2023, the EU parliament adopted new rules in line with the ” Fit for 55 in 2030 package”.

These new rules include the following:

  • Recharging stations: Every 60 km for cars, every 120 km for trucks and buses.
  • Hydrogen refueling stations: Every 200 km.
  • Green maritime fuels: Expanding their use for containerships and passenger ships. P.S. Yeah right…
  • No more pesky subscription models, loyalty cards, privileged access and other BS. You can recharge your second-hand EV à la carte

Accessible charging stations for everyone, no PhD needed.

The efforts made by the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to ensure easy and convenient payment options at charging and refueling points for alternative fuel vehicles are the following:

Easy Payment Methods:

  • Users of alternative fuel vehicles will have a hassle-free payment experience at recharging points.
  • Payment can be made using payment cards or contactless devices, eliminating the need for a subscription or the need to pay in Elon Dollars$$.
  • This simplifies the payment process and makes it more user-friendly, encouraging more people to use alternative fuels.

Transparent Pricing Information:

  • The price of the alternative fuels (electricity for EVs and hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles) will be displayed in a clear manner.
  • Prices will be shown per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity or per kilogram (kg) for hydrogen, providing consumers with a clear understanding of the cost of the fuels they are using.
  • Additionally, per-minute/session pricing may also be available, allowing users to choose the most suitable charging or refueling option for their needs in case you are in a rush to meet your mother and father in law for the first time.

Pricing Database

  • The MEP’s included within the rules, a requirement for establishing a pricing / product database.

Greener maritime fuels

MEPs adopted new rules on cleaner maritime fuels, requiring ships above 5000 gross tonnage to gradually reduce GHG emissions in their energy use by 2% from 2025 to 80% by 2050. Major EU ports will mandate containerships and passenger ships to use on-shore power supply by 2030.

Additionally, a 2% renewable fuels usage target is set for 2034 if non-biological renewable fuels amount to less than 1% in 2031’s fuel mix. These measures aim to cut emissions and promote sustainability in the shipping industry.

What do you think about the above new rules ? A tick-box exercise ? Are they feasible ? Health and Safety issues have been considered?