AFIR stands for the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation, an EU regulation that came into force on 13 April 2024. It applies directly across all EU countries and has made public charging both more predictable and fairer for EV drivers. In short, it sets out how you must be able to pay and how densely fast chargers must be spaced along the major roads.
You can always pay by card, no app or subscription
The most important part for you as a driver: new fast chargers of 50 kW and above must have a card reader or contactless payment, so you can pay ad hoc with an ordinary bank card. The requirement applies to chargers installed from 14 April 2024. You no longer have to create an account or download an app with every operator just to be able to charge.
On smaller and slower chargers a dynamic QR code is enough, where you scan and pay directly. The aim is the same: nobody should be left stranded at a charger because they lack the right app.
Fast chargers at least every 60 km on motorways
AFIR also sets coverage requirements. From 2025 there must be a fast-charging park of at least 150 kW every 60 km along the TEN-T core network, meaning the most important European motorways. The requirements tighten gradually: the parks must have higher total power and more high-power stalls in the coming years, and there are separate rules for trucks and buses.
In practice this means a continuous network of powerful chargers along the motorways is no longer a matter of luck but a legal requirement. That is why long trips in an EV have become so much easier, and why you are rarely far from a fast charger on a European motorway.
Pricing must be transparent
AFIR also requires the price to be clear before you start. On fast chargers the price must be shown per kWh, so you can compare across operators without hidden conversions. Always check the price on the screen or in the app before you plug in, and remember that ad hoc card payment is typically more expensive per kWh than a subscription.
On FindCharger you can see the power, plugs and location of each station before you drive there, so you can pick a charger that suits both your car and how much of a hurry you are in.