What AFIR means for CPOs and EV drivers

(Image source: consilium.euroap.eu)

Public EV charging infrastructure in Europe has expanded quickly, though often unevenly. Depending on where you drive, the experience can be entirely different, from access and payment methods to price transparency and reliability.

The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) aims to change that. In force since April 2024, AFIR has set mandatory standards for how public EV charging must work across all 27 EU member states. Its goal is simple: create a more accessible, available and sustainable charging network that boosts EV adoption and supports Europe's broader climate commitments under the Fit for 55 package.

For charge point operators (CPOs), AFIR brings both opportunity and added responsibility. Best practices that were once optional are now binding obligations, and the savviest operators will see the regulation as a catalyst for building better networks and a sturdier revenue stream.

AFIR and its must-haves

AFIR is about creating a charging experience that drivers can trust. So far, more chargers haven't necessarily meant greater accessibility. Nothing is more frustrating for an EV driver than arriving at a station only to find it out of order or more expensive than initially hoped.

With AFIR in place:

• Drivers must be able to see session costs clearly before charging starts.

• Charger availability must be updated digitally and made publicly available.

• Chargers above 50 kw must support contactless card payments without requiring mandatory pre-registration.

• Public networks must allow any driver to access any station, regardless of their original provider.

• Uptime targets and service performance standards must be met and reported transparently.

AFIR ensures Europe is singing from the same hymn sheet rather than relying on 27 separate national policies that would more likely confuse EV drivers. This helps address the frustrations that most often discourage people from switching to EVs, such as confusing prices, broken chargers and unreliable payment options.

When drivers can easily find chargers, clearly see costs beforehand and pay without hassle, public charging starts to feel as natural as refuelling a petrol car. That ease builds trust, which directly boosts station usage and customer loyalty.

Don’t treat AFIR upgrades like a to-do list  

It might be tempting to treat AFIR as a checklist, like adding a card terminal here or tweaking a tariff display there. However, incremental upgrades can create compatibility issues. When hardware, software, payment flows and reporting aren't reliably linked, monitoring performance, maintaining stations and delivering a smooth charging experience becomes much harder.

AFIR compliance touches every part of a charging network's architecture. Hardware and software must communicate seamlessly, linking payment systems, dynamic tariffs, roaming integrations and real-time status updates in a single system. Retrofitting hardware, layering third-party APIs or rebuilding billing logic at different points in time leads to a shoddy charging experience, no matter how good the intentions.

CPOs that integrate AFIR compliance into their networks will have the upper hand from day one. The right EV charging management software makes AFIR alignment a native feature, so managing availability reporting, dynamic pricing, roaming interoperability and maintenance alerts is a standard part of one unified platform.

AFIR is about accessibility, availability and sustainability

AFIR's requirements can be grouped into three pillars: accessibility, availability, and sustainability. All three have a direct impact on CPO obligations and driver experiences.

Accessibility means drivers shouldn't need insider knowledge or subscriptions to use your network. Stations must be intuitive, allow ad hoc credit card or mobile payment access and be operational whenever drivers arrive. vaylens' real-time monitoring and remote maintenance capabilities help operators meet uptime standards while improving user experience.

Availability means charging stations can't just be sprinkled in and around city centres. Fast-charging points of at least 150 kW must now be installed every 60 km along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), covering both core and comprehensive routes. Urban nodes also have minimum charger quotas, so thoughtful network planning powered by analytics and demand forecasting becomes critical.

Sustainability means charging infrastructure must be able to adapt as the electric mobility market expands. That includes using renewable energy wherever possible, providing transparency about energy sources, protecting driver data under GDPR standards and making sure networks are built to be easily upgraded in the coming decades.

The three pillars push CPOs to think beyond building short-term installations and towards networks that are resilient, inclusive and ready for mass EV adoption.

AFIR's influence in the UK

Although the United Kingdom is no longer part of the EU, its Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, phased in from 2024 to 2025, introduce similar standards.  

Transparent pricing across all public chargers, mandatory contactless payment at rapid chargers, real-time charger availability data and minimum service uptime expectations are all becoming UK legal requirements.

These rules are not identical to AFIR but share the same goal: to make public EV charging more trustworthy, accessible and consistent. Building systems that meet or exceed both frameworks is a wise investment for UK operators and EU-based CPOs operating across borders.

Building an AFIR-compliant solution for charge point operators

The most well-prepared CPOs are embedding AFIR compliance into their operations by choosing EV charging management software that helps businesses scale with developing regulations and user experience in mind.

By taking AFIR into account early on, CPOs can avoid penalties, build connected networks, reduce admin burden and provide better service for drivers.  

Download our comprehensive AFIR guide today to learn more about using the new EU regulations to boost your EV charging business.