Electric vehicle charging stations every 60 kilometers: Brussels sets new requirements

Montenegro, as a future member of the European Union, will have to provide a network of charging stations for electric vehicles along the main transport corridors, as well as special charging stations for electric trucks, which will require significant investments in transport and energy infrastructure, as the country is currently far from the standards prescribed by European rules.

The country currently has 94 publicly available charging points for electric vehicles, with a total capacity of 2,2 megawatts, but no ultra-fast chargers with a capacity of 150 kilowatts or more. To meet the obligations of the European Union's Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), at least 14 charging locations for passenger vehicles will need to be established along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), while 11 charging hubs with a total capacity of 27 megawatts are planned for electric trucks.

There is currently no electric vehicle charging location in Montenegro that meets the European standard according to which charging stations on TEN-T corridors must be no more than 60 kilometers apart.

This is highlighted in the draft National Policy Framework for Establishing Alternative Fuels Infrastructure, which was prepared by the Ministry of Transport together with the Ministry of Energy and is currently under public consultation.

“For Montenegro, as a candidate country for membership in the European Union (EU), the AFIR is of great importance, although it is not yet binding. Montenegro has committed to aligning its transport and energy policies with the EU acquis as part of the accession process. Within the framework of the Treaty establishing the Transport Community, which Montenegro acceded to in 2017, the Western Balkan countries, including Montenegro, are working on integrating their transport networks with those of the EU and adopting EU standards. This includes developing a National Policy Framework for Alternative Fuels and infrastructure planning to meet the requirements of the AFIR,” the document explains.

Electric and hybrid vehicles 2,1 percent

According to Monstat data, 950 vehicles with only electric drive were registered in Montenegro last year, as well as 5.874 vehicles with hybrid drive - a combination of liquid fuel and electricity. As a total of 322 thousand vehicles of all categories were registered last year, electric and hybrid vehicles account for 2,1 percent. Compared to 2024, the number of hybrid vehicles has increased by 82 percent, and electric vehicles by 32 percent.

AFIR is a new EU regulation that for the first time sets legally binding targets for the establishment of publicly accessible refuelling and fuelling infrastructure for different modes of transport across Europe.

Key elements of the AFIR include mandatory coverage of electric vehicle charging stations along the TEN-T network, for example fast charging sites at least every 60 km on the TEN-T core roads by 2025, targets for charging heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) at defined intervals and in safe parking areas, the establishment of hydrogen refuelling stations, shore-side electricity supply (SSE) in ports, and the provision of electricity for stationary aircraft at airports.

Low standards a key obstacle

The document assesses that Montenegro's transition to alternative fuels is starting from a relatively low starting point and that it will face a number of challenges in developing the necessary infrastructure and increasing the number of vehicles using such fuels.

“Key barriers include the high initial costs of electric vehicles, combined with limited purchasing power, as well as an aging fleet, which slows down the natural substitution of vehicles towards cleaner technologies. At the infrastructure level, development is limited by the insufficient availability of chargers outside urban areas and the capacity constraints of the electricity grid in certain locations, which particularly affects the deployment of high-power chargers required under the AFIR. In addition, market uncertainty for investors, caused by the currently low take-up rates and the evolving regulatory framework, together with limited institutional and administrative capacity, continue to slow down the pace of infrastructure deployment,” the document highlights, adding that access to EU financial instruments will be essential to enable the scale of infrastructure deployment required.

Average age of passenger vehicle 17,6 years

It is further indicated that a distinct characteristic of the road vehicle fleet of Montenegro is its age - the average age of vehicles is 17,3 years, while the average age of passenger cars is 17,6 years.

“More than 86% of cars are over 10 years old, and only 6% of cars are under 6 years old. This indicates that modern fuel-efficient or low-emission technologies are slowly penetrating the market; a large number of cars do not have

"They do not have advanced emission control systems or the fuel-efficient features found in newer models. In addition, a significant proportion of cars in use are second-hand imported vehicles, predominantly diesel models from Western Europe," the document states.

The draft document states that charging stations for electric vehicles are mainly concentrated in Podgorica and coastal municipalities, where demand is highest, while the northern and central parts of the country are significantly less well covered. Most of the existing chargers are located in public parking lots, shopping malls and tourist facilities, and these are mainly low-power chargers. It is estimated that the current network can meet local needs, but is not yet sufficiently developed for reliable longer trips by electric vehicles, especially due to the lack of fast chargers on main traffic routes.

It is further pointed out that the country does not yet have a single law that would fully adopt European rules on alternative fuel infrastructure, but that a strategic framework has already been set through the National Energy and Climate Plan. This document envisages that by 2030 there will be at least 35.000 electric passenger vehicles on Montenegrin roads, as well as around 50 fast and 500 slow chargers for their charging.

"Montenegro currently does not have a dedicated heavy-duty vehicle charging infrastructure, with no public or private charging points compatible with heavy-duty vehicles, including safe and secure parking spaces, reported for 2023 and 2025. This confirms that the establishment of heavy-duty vehicle charging infrastructure has not yet started and is entirely in the planning phase," the document states.

Portal for faster licensing

The document envisages the adoption of a special law that will transpose European rules on alternative fuels infrastructure into Montenegrin legislation. It also plans to introduce a single national portal for issuing permits and approvals for new filling stations, with legally defined deadlines for decision-making, in order to accelerate the implementation of projects.

"A single national portal for permits and approvals, with legally established maximum deadlines for making decisions," is one of the planned measures.

The proposed measures also foresee greater financial support for the construction of fast charging stations, especially in cities, logistics centers and along major transport corridors. The aim is to reduce initial costs for investors and accelerate the construction of infrastructure in locations where the highest demand is expected.

“Support would be provided through targeted financial incentives aimed at reducing initial investment costs for infrastructure operators. Priority would be given to locations with high potential for use, including urban centers, logistics hubs and major transport corridors.”

The document also envisages the introduction of clear rules for users of filling stations, including transparent display of prices, the possibility of payment without prior contracts, and uniform rules for operators.

"The measures establish minimum user rights, including ad hoc access without prior contracts and non-discriminatory service provision conditions. Price transparency is ensured, including clear display of tariffs and avoidance of unjustified price discrimination," the document states.

It is estimated that such measures should increase user confidence and facilitate the wider use of electric vehicles.

Port of Bar and airports facing new demands

Full alignment with the European directives also stipulates that the Port of Bar will have to develop a system for supplying ships with electricity from the shore, in order to reduce the use of ship engines while at anchor. It is also proposed that deadlines for the introduction of this infrastructure, as well as possible penalties for non-fulfillment of obligations, be incorporated into concession contracts for port terminals.

A plan is planned for the airports in Podgorica and Tivat to transition to using electricity from renewable sources for ground operations by 2030. The document foresees the possibility of using solar systems, green tariffs and other carbon-free energy supply models.