Europe’s EV charging market accelerates through strategic acquisitions and urban expansion in February 2026

‍

February 2026 marked a pivotal month for Europe's EV charging sector, characterized by major network acquisitions, strategic urban deployments, and breakthrough vehicle-to-grid initiatives. From Be.EV's transformative acquisition in the UK to IONITY's megawatt charging debut in France and BMW's first consumer V2G offering in Germany, charge point operators are consolidating market positions while advancing next-generation technologies. Here's a comprehensive look at the month's key developments.

‍

Multi-Regional / Europe-Wide

Fastned Secures Funding for Network Expansion

Fastned launched a new bond issue in the Netherlands and Belgium to fund network expansion. The operator currently operates 410 stations across nine countries and has secured 61 new sites (32 in the Netherlands, 29 in Belgium) as part of its target to reach 1,000 stations by 2030, supported by a recent €200 million green loan

Facility.

‍

IONITY Deploys First Megawatt Charging in France

IONITY activated its first megawatt HYC1000 systems in France at Maison-Dieu and Sorgues, each featuring six charging points. The Alpitronic units deliver up to 1,000 kW total, with 600 kW available per vehicle, enabling high-performance EVs to gain 300 km of range in under eight minutes. IONITY plans European-wide HYC1000 Expansion.

‍

Tesla Superchargers Integrated into European MSP Platform

Last Mile Solutions integrated Tesla's Supercharger network into its eMSP platform, giving 1.4 million EV drivers access to over 20,000 Superchargers at 1,500 locations across Europe. Customers charge via their MSP or Tesla app, with payments at MSP rates, expanding high-speed roaming and network breadth for MSP Partners.

‍

E.ON Reports Record Infrastructure Investment

E.ON reported fiscal 2025 results with €9.8 billion adjusted EBITDA and €3.0 billion net income. Investments reached €8.5 billion, including €7 billion in Energy Networks. The company connected two million renewable plants in Germany and advanced EV solutions, including commercial bidirectional charging with BMW. The 2030 plan targets €13 billion EBITDA, supported by €48 billion investment.

‍

European EV Market Shows Regional Divergence

Global EV sales reached 1.2 million units in January 2026, down 3% year-on-year, driven by weakness in China (-20% YoY) and North America. Europe grew 25% YoY to over 320,000 units, supported by renewed subsidies. Despite regional volatility, sustained uptake underpins long-term demand for charging infrastructure.

‍

European Vehicle Market Continues Electrification Shift

Hybrid electric vehicles accounted for 34.4% of new car registrations in the EU, EFTA, and UK in 2025, making them the most popular vehicle type by power source. Battery electric vehicles represented 19.5%, up from 15.4% in 2024. Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France together accounted for 62% of new BEV sales, indicating rising demand as the European transport sector advances toward decarbonization.

‍

Northern Europe

United Kingdom

‍

Be.EV Triples Network Through Major Acquisition

Be.EV acquired the UK public charging network previously operated by Mer, adding 1,600 bays across 450 sites in southern England. The acquisition triples Be.EV's network, making it a top ten UK operator in terms of rapid capacity. Integration will bring sites under Be.EV's 39p/kWh subscription with targeted upgrades, strengthening regional coverage and profitability.

‍

IONITY Opens First Urban Hub in Birmingham

IONITY opened its most urban UK site in Aston, Birmingham city centre. The hub features 12 ultra-rapid chargers rated up to 400 kW, enabling 10–80% charging in 15 minutes. Developed with Hubber, the site marks a strategic shift from motorway to urban deployment, strengthening IONITY's West Midlands footprint.

‍

InstaVolt Begins Major A303 Hub Development

InstaVolt began redevelopment of its Chicklade site on the A303, demolishing a former petrol station to build an ultra-rapid charging hub with over 30 chargers rated at 160 kW. Located within the Fonthill Estate, the hub will be completed later in 2026 as part of InstaVolt's regional corridor expansion.

‍

TotalEnergies Wins Major London Charging Contract

TotalEnergies signed a contract with Transport for London to deploy 43 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers (100kW-200kW) across Bromley, Lewisham, and Sutton. TotalEnergies will operate for 20 years, while TfL will receive revenue shares. Chargers are expected to be operational by the end of 2027, supporting London's 43,000–51,000

point target by 2030.

‍

Fleete Secures Approval for Major HGV Hub

Fleete secured planning for a 26-bay electric HGV charging hub at Hams Hall Distribution Park near Birmingham. The site will serve warehousing and distribution fleets with Megawatt Charging System capability for ultra-high-power charging. The facility joins Fleete's existing Port of Tilbury hub, supporting a large-scale fleet

Electrification.

‍

Uber Expands Charging Partnerships Across Europe

Uber announced partnerships with charge point operators across the US, UK, and Europe. In the Netherlands, Allego offers Uber drivers up to 50% off-peak savings. Agreements include usage guarantees backed by fines for underperformance, helping Uber meet its zero-emission global fleet goal by 2040. 

‍

Shell Expands London Lamppost Network

Ubitricity acquired FM Conway's SureCharge network, adding over 2,400 lamppost-based charge points. The acquisition expands Ubitricity's footprint to more than 14,000 points across 30 UK local authorities, strengthening overnight residential charging in London and accelerating sustainable mobility.

‍

Norway

‍

Oslo Reforms Public Charging Pricing Model

Oslo announced a move from a primarily time-based pricing model for AC public chargers to a consumption-based system, effective autumn 2026. The new model charges drivers based on energy consumed (kWh at daily spot prices), an operational cost fee, and a time-based parking fee to encourage turnover. The shift aims to make pricing fairer for slower-charging EVs and efficiently rotate vehicles at highly

used public AC chargers.

‍

Nordic Region

‍

Kempower and Plugit Partner for Nordic-France Expansion

Finnish companies Kempower and Plugit announced a partnership to expand EV and e-truck charging infrastructure across the Nordics and France. Plugit will deploy Kempower's turnkey charging solutions at its own sites and for third-party customers. Phase one includes 15 sites in Finland, featuring the country's first public megawatt charging system near Hamina-Kotka port. Phase two plans 15–20 additional sites in Finland, Sweden, and France.

‍

Central & Western Europe

Germany

‍

Kaufland and Milence Partner on Truck Charging

Kaufland and Milence announced a partnership to open a dedicated electric truck charging hub at Kaufland's Barsinghausen distribution center in Germany, featuring four 400 kW CCS chargers and 100% certified green electricity. The hub will support an expanded fleet of nine e-trucks, enabling longer-range deliveries and reducing CO2e emissions by around 700 tons annually, with plans to replicate the model at additional European locations.

‍

HeyCharge Secures EU Funding for Offline Charging Technology

Munich-based startup HeyCharge secured €2.5 million from the European Innovation Council to advance its SecureCharge FLEX platform for underground and low-connectivity EV charging. The technology uses offline cryptographic tokens for secure authentication, eliminating network cabling requirements, and has already been deployed at 130 locations in Germany. Funding will support advanced energy management, V2G integration, and multi-country certification.

‍

Belgium & Netherlands

‍

TotalEnergies and Tikehau Capital Launch Joint Investment Platform

TotalEnergies and Tikehau Capital launched a joint investment platform to expand EV charging infrastructure in urban public spaces across Belgium and the Netherlands. The 50:50 partnership will focus on public concessions and new tenders, leveraging TotalEnergies' existing network of 18,000 chargepoints in the Netherlands and 9,500 in Belgium. The initiative aims to provide efficient, sustainable charging solutions to accelerate low-carbon transport.

‍

Uber and Allego Partner in the Netherlands

Uber and Allego launched a partnership in the Netherlands to reduce charging costs for taxi drivers using the Uber app. Drivers can receive up to 50% off per kWh during off-peak hours at Allego high-power chargers. The initiative encourages charging outside peak periods to lower costs, optimize grid usage, and improve charger availability. Taxi drivers access both Allego HPC and AC chargers via the Allego app.

‍

Mediterranean / Southern Europe

Spain

‍

Acciona Secures Major Madrid Charging Hub Contract

Acciona secured a 30-year contract with the Madrid regional government to develop a 4 MW ultra-rapid EV charging hub at 276 Paseo de la Castellana, within the M-30 ring road. The 1,281 m² site will feature 20 chargers rated up to 400 kW, a battery swap station for Silence scooters, rooftop solar, and integrated user amenities. Operation is planned for 2027, converting a disused petrol station into a sustainable urban mobility

Hub.

‍

France

Italy

‍

E.ON Drive Infrastructure Wins Major Motorway Contract

Autostrade awarded E.ON Drive Infrastructure Italy three lots for Italy to build 104 ultra-fast chargers across 18 motorway service areas by the end of 2026. The sites, located along major corridors including the A4 and A14, will feature 4–8 Alpitronic HYC400 chargers per location with up to 400 kW per point. Each hub will include photovoltaic canopies and battery storage to optimize solar usage and reduce grid peaks.

‍

Smatrics EnBW Expands Northern Italy Network

Smatrics EnBW opened two new fast-charging parks in Northern Italy, located in Trezzo sull'Adda and Gruaro, each offering 16 charging points with up to 400 kW of power. The sites feature partially covered bays, on-site amenities, digital pricing displays, and accessible charging, with a dedicated bay at Gruaro for vehicles with trailers. The expansion strengthens Smatrics EnBW's cross-border network, supporting travel between Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

‍

Looking Ahead

February 2026 demonstrated the European EV charging sector's transition from pure infrastructure buildout to strategic consolidation and technological advancement. The month's major acquisitions—Be.EV's tripling of its UK network, Shell's expansion through Ubitricity—signal market maturation and the emergence of larger, more

financially resilient operators.

‍

Simultaneously, breakthrough technologies gained commercial traction. IONITY's megawatt charging deployment in France, BMW and E.ON's consumer V2G launch in Germany and HeyCharge's offline authentication platform demonstrate how innovation continues to address key infrastructure challenges around charging speed, grid integration, and deployment complexity.

‍

The geographic focus on urban charging, from IONITY's Birmingham city centre hub to Acciona's Madrid development and Oslo's pricing reform, reflects evolving demand patterns as EV adoption moves beyond early adopters. Combined with specialized infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles through Fleete and Kaufland-Milence, February's developments position Europe's charging sector for sustained growth across all vehicle segments and use cases.

‍

Stay informed about the latest developments in EV charging by subscribing to The Charge Point Journal. Have updates or insights to share as a CPO? Contact us at hello@flexecharge.com.

‍