EV charging sites as advertising locations: what 212,000 charging points mean for Road Media
More than 212,000 publicly accessible charging points form a network across parking areas, retail sites and mobility hubs in Germany. For Road Media, they bring together movement, time spent at a place and a specific use occasion. Charging time, however, does not automatically create advertising attention.
A growing network creates potential contact locations
Public charging has become a visible part of the street environment. The Bundesnetzagentur reports 212,064 charging points for August 2026 with simultaneous available capacity of 9.22 gigawatts. For comparison, Destatis recorded just over 160,000 public charging points on 1 January 2025.
Electric vehicle numbers are growing too. Destatis reports just over 545,100 new battery-electric passenger cars in 2025, accounting for 19.1% of new registrations. Including plug-in hybrids, electrically powered passenger cars represented 30.0%. That makes charging settings relevant to brands in mobility, retail, energy, hospitality and local services.
Interpret the totals carefully. Several points can belong to one unit or charging hub. The register also includes notifications whose procedures are incomplete, while the interactive map shows completed procedures only. The authority says the map does not cover all public infrastructure actually in existence. Media plans therefore need specific site lists.
Charging time differs from advertising contact time
A charging hub can look like a place with guaranteed dwell time, but that assumption is too simple. A National Centre for Charging Infrastructure factsheet examines around 28,000 publicly accessible, publicly funded points. In data covering 2018–2024, they were occupied for about 2.3 hours a day on average, just under 10% of the time.
Variation matters more than the average alone. The analysis finds substantial differences by time, location, charging power and sometimes season. A lightly used point may be busy at certain hours. An occupied point also does not mean someone is waiting beside the car: they may be shopping, working or elsewhere.
Occupancy duration is therefore contextual data. An advertising opportunity depends on the display lying along a person's actual route, being visible and allowing enough time for viewing. At a fast-charging hub this might be beside the vehicle or on the walk to a shop or toilets. At a supermarket, the entrance may be a stronger contact point than the charger itself.
Three roles for media at a charging site
| Surface | Strength | Planning limit |
|---|---|---|
| Surrounding media | Large formats, city-light posters or screens can address charging users and other visitors. | Check sightlines, walking routes and actual footfall. |
| Charger housing | Branding directly connects with energy and mobility. | Controls, prices, safety and status information must remain clear. |
| Related facilities | Shops, hospitality and waiting areas allow more detailed messages. | Relevant only if users actually visit and can see the display. |
A separate display in the right field of view may provide a clearer solution than a screen on the charger. It separates advertising from the technical interface and may also address other visitors.
Functional information comes first
AFIR requirements apply to newly commissioned public charging points from 13 April 2024. The Bundesnetzagentur explains that ad-hoc charging must be available without a long-term contract. Prices must be known before charging begins, with electronic-payment requirements varying by charging power.
Advertising should not displace or resemble price, charging status, error, payment or safety information. A technical touchscreen is primarily an operating interface. Media integration needs clear functional and visual separation and accessibility. A separate DOOH screen may therefore offer usability as well as size advantages.
Which charging settings are interesting?
The usage context matters more than charger size. An urban car park differs from a motorway hub; destination charging at a hotel or shopping centre differs from a short high-power stop on a long journey.
- Retail locations connect charging and shopping; consider routes between parking, entrances and tills.
- Fast-charging hubs concentrate mobile audiences on long-distance and commuting routes; assess lounges, food outlets and views on approach.
- Multi-storey car parks can provide recurring local encounters; check light, headroom and wayfinding.
- Hotels and leisure destinations permit longer stays but may have lower or highly variable footfall.
Time of day changes conditions too. Illuminated advertising should avoid dazzling drivers or overwhelming directions. A simple local message with a short distance indication may be more useful than general brand creative.
Six questions before booking
- How many sites and charging points are included? Request separate counts.
- Who actually passes the display? Do not simply add charging users, companions, shoppers and other visitors.
- Which charging type shapes the location? Normal and fast charging produce different routes and stays.
- Where is the display in the user journey? Check approach, parking, shop routes and departure.
- How is a contact defined? Playouts, occupied points, visible people and recalled messages are different metrics.
- Does operation remain clear? Separate advertising from price, payment, status and safety information.
A good charging location is more than a socket
The growing network creates advertising settings with a natural mobility connection. Sites are particularly interesting where charging traffic, other visitors and a clear route past the display come together. Good planning uses that context without turning occupancy into assumed advertising reach.
Start with the site and user journey, then select the format. See evaluating advertising sites for visibility and surroundings, DOOH explained for screens and delivery, and measuring DOOH campaigns for contacts and impact.
Sources and limits: the Bundesnetzagentur figures refer to 1 August 2026 and include incomplete notification procedures; they do not count sites or advertising reach. The NOW factsheet covers around 28,000 funded points and data to 2024, rather than necessarily representing the whole 2026 network. Destatis uses KBA registration data and describes vehicles and infrastructure, not media use. AFIR and regulatory guidance concern charging, prices and payment; they do not establish advertising effectiveness.