Europe Gets 3,000 Ultrafast EV Chargers by 2028

Charging an electric car is about to get a lot faster across Central and Eastern Europe.

The European Investment Bank just approved a €35 million loan to bring over 250 ultrafast charging hubs to eight countries by 2028. Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Czechia, and Estonia will each get multiple stations with up to 12 charging ports at shopping centers and busy commercial areas.

These aren't your average charging stations. Each port delivers 400 kilowatts of power, enough to charge most EVs to 80% in under 40 minutes. The fastest electric vehicles can add 200 miles of range in just 12 minutes at these speeds.

Estonian startup Eleport will build and operate the network, connecting countries that previously had gaps in their charging infrastructure. For families planning road trips or businesses running delivery fleets, this means fewer worries about running out of power between cities.

The project fills a crucial need in a region where electric vehicle adoption has been slower than Western Europe, partly because drivers worried about finding reliable charging stations. Now someone driving from Warsaw to Prague won't need to plan their entire trip around where they can plug in.

Eleport already operates fast chargers in six of the eight countries, so they know the local markets and where drivers need stations most. The goal is simple: let people charge where they're already stopping, whether that's grabbing groceries or taking a coffee break.

The Ripple Effect

This investment does more than make individual trips easier. It creates a connected network across borders, turning what used to be eight separate charging systems into one regional grid.

Business travelers and vacationers visiting Europe can now rent electric vehicles without range anxiety. A British family recently drove an electric car from England through France to Italy and back with zero charging problems, stopping at convenient locations the whole way.

As more ultrafast chargers pop up at places people already visit, charging becomes less of a special errand and more of something you do while living your life. That shift makes electric vehicles practical for millions more drivers.

The loan also shows how governments and startups can work together on climate solutions that actually improve daily life instead of asking people to sacrifice convenience.

By 2028, driving electric across Central and Eastern Europe will feel as natural as it does anywhere else, one ultrafast charge at a time.