Analysis of the Number of Gas Stations, Number and Characteristics of Chargers for Electric Vehicles in Serbia and the EU
How many gas stations are there in the EU, neighboring countries, and Serbia?
How many public chargers for electric vehicles are there?
These questions provide us with a clearer picture of where we stand and in what direction and at what speed we need to move.
According to data from the
Ministry of Foreign and Internal Trade of Serbia, published on May 15, 2024, there are 1,529 gas stations in Serbia. The largest number belongs to the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) with 324 stations. Lukoil and Knez Petrol each have over a hundred stations. These gas stations are owned by 393 companies, enterprises, and small trading shops.
Regarding the number of public chargers, their number does not exceed 150, which is about 10 percent of the number of gas stations. However, if we compare the number of charging points for electric vehicles with the number of pumps at gas stations, it is clear that the current number of public chargers is unsatisfactory. There are just over 2.8 million registered vehicles in the Republic of Serbia, of which just under 3,000 are electric vehicles, about 1 percent. Considering the number of foreign electric vehicle owners in transit or visiting Serbia and the forecast that the number of sold electric and Plug-in hybrid vehicles will continue to grow annually, it is clear that the current number of chargers is insufficient and that further development of the ecosystem for electric and Plug-in hybrid vehicles is necessary.
The positive news is that relevant institutions have announced various incentives, apart from subsidies for environmentally friendly vehicles, which were significantly reduced in 2024. They also use other benefits and regulatory changes to stimulate not only the purchase of electric vehicles but also the construction of a charging network. The amendments to the Law on Planning and Construction ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 62/2023) introduced the obligation that every fourth parking space in residential buildings and every third in commercial buildings must have electric chargers. All gas stations on highways and expressways must have one charger for electric vehicles for every four refueling spots, with a slightly longer deadline for implementing this obligation. Additionally, a contractor has been selected for the recently concluded public call for the refurbishment of 16 rest areas on highways into "green stations" with a minimum of 5 DC "fast" chargers, expecting more than 150 new "fast" chargers from this basis. The working group for electrification of the Serbian Association of Vehicle and Parts Importers has repeatedly emphasized the importance of not only the quantity but also the quality of the electric vehicle ecosystem development, specifically:
- Ensuring mandatory working hours of facilities and chargers on a "non-stop" basis, i.e., 24/7, including Sundays.
- From a payment simplicity perspective, installing chargers with POS terminals that allow payment by credit/debit cards.
- From a safety and usability perspective, installing chargers that meet the "Plug and Charge" standard.
- Providing a customer contact center available 24/7 to ensure support for users for the continuous and uninterrupted operation of chargers and all other facilities.
- Installing chargers that can charge at 800V and 400A.
- Ensuring every charger on highways has all types of connectors: "CHAdeMO," "TYPE 2," and "CCS2."
- Installing modular chargers, i.e., chargers that can increase power in the future.
- Requiring operators to conduct an annual inspection of all installed chargers by an independent inspection company.
As an association with members representing most manufacturers, equipped with necessary knowledge and expertise, we believe that besides the number of chargers, these are some of the most critical points to consider when developing electric vehicle infrastructure.
And finally, some statistics from the EU:
According to the latest data, there are 135,719 gas stations in the European Union. Italy has the most with 21,700, followed by Germany with 14,452. Greece has 5,889, Bulgaria 3,531, Hungary 2,121, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,103 (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 711, Republika Srpska 392), North Macedonia 967, Croatia 870, Slovenia 553, and Montenegro 120.
Regarding the number of chargers for electric vehicles, there were 630,000 public chargers in the EU at the end of 2023. The Netherlands has the most with 144,453, followed by Germany with 120,625, France with 119,255, Belgium with 44,363, and Italy with 41,114. Austria has 18,637, Hungary 3,319, Romania 2,754, Bulgaria 1,624, Greece 3,166, Slovenia 1,608, and Croatia 1,074.
The EU estimates that by 2030, the number of public chargers will need to increase eightfold. This is realistic considering that 130,000 chargers were put into operation in 2023.
Photo: Freepik
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