Scaling Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure

The report argues that while city governments are pivotal in the transition to electric mobility, they must collaborate with the private sector to overcome financial and regulatory barriers. It outlines a framework based on four pillars: strategic planning, standardization of processes, data sharing, and grid capacity management. Key recommendations include identifying priority charging areas, streamlining permitting processes, implementing open-loop payment standards, and utilizing competitive public procurement to de-risk investments for charge-point operators.

• A lack of public charging infrastructure is a primary obstacle to EV adoption, particularly for urban residents who cannot install home chargers. In the EU, it is estimated that 50% of city-dwelling car owners will be unable to install at-home chargers, and Europe alone will require 6.8 million public chargers by 2030 for passenger vehicles.
• City governments can mitigate investment risks for charge-point operators by developing strategic plans that identify priority charging areas and address demand uncertainties. Financial viability for charging stations typically requires a minimum utilization rate of 25% to yield positive returns, whereas a 15% rate likely results in a loss.
• Standardizing building regulations and planning processes is essential to future-proof infrastructure and reduce installation lead times. The report suggests making charging capability a new building standard and implementing "right to charge" laws to allow tenants in existing buildings to install infrastructure.
• Data sharing between cities and the private sector is critical for building business cases for investment. Cities should provide data on EV ownership, traffic demand, and electricity costs, while partnering with fleet operators and payment providers to identify high-demand locations.
• Grid capacity is a major constraint for large-scale charging, especially for fleets. City governments should encourage bidirectional charging (vehicle-to-grid) to enhance grid stability and provide financial incentives for grid upgrades, such as subsidies in France that cover up to 40% of costs.
• To attract private bidders in public procurement, cities should use long-term contracts (10-15 years), demand guarantees (revenue floors), and bundle prime locations with less desirable ones to ensure overall project viability.
• Standardizing payment methods is necessary to improve user experience and adoption; 67% of EV drivers prefer using bank cards. The report advocates for contactless, open-loop payments as the standard for public infrastructure.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Scaling Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Scaling_Investment_in_EV_Charging_Infrastructure_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Scaling Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Scaling_Investment_in_EV_Charging_Infrastructure_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Scaling Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure |date=September 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Scaling_Investment_in_EV_Charging_Infrastructure_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024scaling, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Scaling Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Scaling_Investment_in_EV_Charging_Infrastructure_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }