Charging Station Utilisation 2026: What “12 Percent” and “+30 Percent” Really Mean
📅 Published on October 29, 2026
Information as of 29 October 2026. Based on reports by ecomento.de (29 Sept and 1 Oct 2026), the German Press Agency (dpa) via zfk.de (30 Sept 2026) and auto motor und sport on the BDEW e-mobility monitor (sources at the end). Many operator statements are relative changes without published base values; we flag this where it applies. This article is neither investment advice nor a forecast.
Two reports seem to contradict each other: on one hand, public charge points in Germany were on average only about 12 percent simultaneously occupied in 2025. On the other, operators such as Vattenfall and EWE report clear growth in usage in 2026. Both can be true – they measure different things over different periods. This article sorts out what the sources actually support, how to read the numbers, and what they mean for you at the charger (and what they do not).
The starting point: lots of infrastructure, low average occupancy
According to the e-mobility monitor of the BDEW (the German association of energy and water industries), as quoted by auto motor und sport, Germany had around 200,000 public charge points with more than nine gigawatts of installed charging capacity at the end of 2025. Averaged over 2025, these charge points were only about twelve percent occupied at the same time. The dpa report (via zfk.de) gives the same order of magnitude and relays the BDEW conclusion: the build-out of charging infrastructure is well ahead of the ramp-up of fully electric cars.
The definition matters. “Simultaneously occupied” means that at any given moment, on average roughly one in eight charge points was in use. With the rounded figures quoted, that works out to about 24,000 charge points in use at the same time (12% × 200,000 – a back-of-the-envelope calculation from two quoted numbers, not a measured value). The source gives no detailed measurement method or survey period, and it does not distinguish between AC and DC.
A note on terms (dpa/zfk): one charging station (Ladesäule) can have several charge points, and only one vehicle charges at a charge point at a time. Figures for “stations” and “charge points” are therefore not directly comparable. For example, ecomento, citing the Federal Network Agency (as of early August 2026), reports 118,062 charging stations in Germany, up 16 percent within a year, with total capacity of 9.2 million kilowatts (up 26 percent). Our article on the charging network in Germany covers the Federal Network Agency’s charge-point numbers; both figures describe the same network but count differently.
What operators report for 2026
The following statements come from the companies themselves and were relayed by media outlets. They are self-reported and not independently verified.
- Vattenfall (InCharge): According to ecomento (29 Sept 2026), about 65 percent more energy was charged since the start of the year – the highest value so far in the German InCharge network. In fast charging, more than 10 GWh was charged by the end of August 2026, which Vattenfall equates to roughly 55 million kilometres driven; the full-year 2025 figure was exceeded by 47 percent after eight months. The dpa report (zfk.de) phrases it as “about two-thirds more electricity than in the whole previous year”. Which baseline exactly is meant is not clear from the texts we reviewed, so we cite both wordings. The ecomento article gives neither absolute 2025 values nor the number of charge points.
- EWE: Its charge points are on average 30 percent more heavily used than a year earlier. EWE cites rising EV registrations and higher oil prices.
- EnBW: Utilisation is low because there are many charging options; EnBW calls the development “generally very good”. For competitive reasons it does not disclose figures.
- E.ON: Use of public charging infrastructure is increasing, mainly because of the growing number of electric cars – also without a published figure.
- Aral (for BP): Utilisation of its fast chargers is rising; the company attributes this to the ramp-up of electric mobility with significantly more new registrations.
The operators’ common drivers are rising new registrations and higher fuel prices. Vattenfall adds that high and volatile fuel prices make electric mobility more attractive thanks to predictable costs. The dpa text, however, names no specific fuel prices; the link between price levels and charging demand is the companies’ assessment, not a causal proof established here.
How do “12 percent” and “+30 percent” fit together?
The two numbers differ in three ways, and only all three together explain why there is no contradiction.
1. Absolute level vs. relative change. The 12 percent is a level; EWE’s 30 percent is a change versus the previous year. As an illustration: if an operator starting at 12 percent occupancy grew by 30 percent, it would be at 15.6 percent (12 × 1.3). This is purely a worked example from two quoted numbers – EWE has not published its starting value, and the BDEW figure covers all operators together, not EWE. The point: a strong relative increase can happen from a low base. Trade press accordingly describes the rise as coming “from a low level”.
2. Whole network vs. single operator. The BDEW value averages across the whole country, all operators and all sites. Operator figures refer to their own network. In between lies a fast-growing stock (according to ecomento, +16 percent stations and +26 percent capacity within a year) and very different locations.
3. Energy vs. occupancy time. Vattenfall’s figure measures energy charged. More energy can result from more charging sessions, higher power per session, or both. It does not directly tell you how long the charge points were occupied. The BDEW figure, by contrast, measures occupancy, not energy. They are related but different quantities.
Fast chargers: single-digit utilisation in 2025
auto motor und sport refers to 2025 analyses (Automobilwoche and the data provider Elvah) according to which fast-charging points sometimes had only single-digit percentage utilisation. That matters to operators: high-power fast-charging infrastructure requires heavy investment, and with low utilisation revenue stays limited. According to auto motor und sport, industry observers therefore expect market consolidation that could mainly benefit large providers. That is an expectation, not a fact; the sources do not tell whether or when it will happen.
For drivers this is an indirect point. If more vehicles use the existing fast chargers, the economics of the sites improve – one reason operators can keep expanding. At the same time, the chance of meeting a queue at a popular site may increase. The sources we reviewed contain no data on waiting times or their distribution over the day; this remains a logical consideration, not evidence.
What an average hides
An annual average across roughly 200,000 charge points says little about a single site at a particular time. This is an interpretation based on the definition, not a statement from the sources: if on average only about one in eight charge points is occupied, that does not rule out that some sites are full at peak times while others are barely used. Charging on a motorway during holiday traffic is a different experience from charging overnight at an AC post in a residential area. A low average occupancy is therefore no guarantee that a charger is free on arrival.
What actually helps in everyday use is current information on the charger you are heading for. We describe how far live data is available today and where its limits are in our article on live status of charging stations; the tips in EV road trip tips help with planning a buffer.
What you can take away in practice
1. Plan with alternatives. Even if average occupancy is low, pick a second charge point nearby as a fallback on longer trips, especially on busy motorway sections. This is a precaution that needs no numbers.
2. Occupied does not mean broken – and vice versa. “Occupied”, “free” and “out of order” are different states. High utilisation does not mean everything works, and low utilisation does not mean all chargers are running.
3. Make room when you are done. As usage rises, courtesy matters more. See charging etiquette and, on the cost of overstaying, blocking fees.
4. Comparing prices still pays off. Utilisation reports say nothing about the price per kilowatt-hour. What drivers actually pay can differ from list prices (community prices vs. list prices).
Limits of the data
- The BDEW figure (12%) refers to 2025; the sources we reviewed contain no nationwide utilisation value for 2026.
- Operator statements are self-reported, mostly relative and without base values; EnBW and E.ON give no numbers.
- The sources provide no breakdown by AC/DC, region or time of day.
- The stated reasons (new registrations, fuel prices) are operator assessments, not verified causal analyses.
How Elunio can help – and where its limits are
Elunio shows charging stations on a map and in a list, filters by power and price, and displays prices that other drivers have reported at a station. Live coverage is best in Baden-Württemberg and the DACH region; elsewhere the app relies more on community reports and openly available data. What Elunio does not do: it shows no utilisation statistics per site and cannot guarantee that a charger will be free when you arrive.
Frequently asked questions
How high is the utilisation of public charge points in Germany?
According to the BDEW e-mobility monitor, on average about 12 percent of public charge points were occupied at the same time in 2025. The sources we reviewed give no nationwide value for 2026.
Is utilisation rising in 2026?
Several operators say so: Vattenfall about 65 percent more energy charged since the start of the year, EWE on average 30 percent higher utilisation than the previous year, Aral and E.ON without figures. These are self-reported.
Is it harder to find a free charger today?
The sources provide no data on this. With an average occupancy of about 12 percent (2025), most charge points are free at any given moment, but individual sites can still be full at peak times.
Why is low utilisation a problem?
For operators: fast-charging infrastructure requires heavy investment, and with low utilisation revenue is limited (auto motor und sport). For drivers it initially means good chances of finding a free charger.
What is the difference between a charging station and a charge point?
One station can have several charge points; only one vehicle charges at a charge point at a time.
Conclusion
According to the BDEW, Germany’s charging infrastructure has run ahead of the vehicle ramp-up: in 2025 only about one in eight public charge points was occupied at the same time. In 2026 operators report noticeably rising usage, mostly without base values. Both fit together because level, change and measured quantity differ. For you this means: there is usually room, but the average guarantees nothing for an individual site – plan a buffer and check current information on the charger you are heading to.
Sources: ecomento.de – “Auslastung von Ladesäulen in Deutschland steigt deutlich an” (1 Oct 2026), ecomento.de · ecomento.de – “Vattenfall InCharge meldet Rekordauslastung bei Ladepunkten” (29 Sept 2026), ecomento.de · zfk.de (Deutsche Presse-Agentur) – “Spritpreise: E-Autos, Nachfrage, öffentliche Ladesäulen” (30 Sept 2026), zfk.de · auto motor und sport – “Ladeinfrastruktur in Deutschland: Die Auslastung liegt bei nur 12 Prozent” (BDEW e-mobility monitor), auto-motor-und-sport.de.