Abstract:

The public charging infrastructure market in Europe is experiencing swift advancement, propelled by the increasing acceptance of electric cars (EVs) and the demand for sustainable transportation solutions. This ZEV Alliance paper seeks to address three primary inquiries to elucidate the influence of charge point operator (CPO) market concentration on the electric vehicle public charging sector: Who are the principal stakeholders in the European public electric vehicle charging infrastructure industry, and how does the European market contrast with that of North America? What are the levels of market concentration for CPO in Europe and North America, and do they raise concerns regarding competition? How do these market participants determine pricing for public electric vehicle charging, and is there a relationship with their market reach? The European public charging industry comprises numerous Charge Point Operators (CPOs) and Mobility Service Providers (MSPs). The research identified almost 2,000 Charge Point Operators providing AC charging, more over 1,000 supplying DC charging, and approximately 240 Mobility Service Providers overall. In contrast to the United States and Canada, which predominantly feature pure players, Europe's foremost CPOs are primarily sector-leaping entities, notably oil and gas corporations and electric utilities, which possess a competitive edge over pure players. Secondly, the increase in electric vehicle adoption in recent years has not led to uniform market concentration tendencies throughout Europe.