According to the latest data from the Slovak Electromobility Association (SEVA), there were 2,008 public charging stations for electric vehicles in Slovakia at the end of the first quarter of 2024. This is mainly due to the low number of EVs on our roads, which also means a lower take-up rate of chargers. The number of public charging points at the end of September reached 2,223 connectors at 884 locations, while the total installed capacity increased to 107,562 kW.
Slovakia appeared for the first time in the regular assessment of the readiness of individual countries for the transition to electromobility – the so-called eReadiness 2024 index by global consultancy PwC. Of the 27 countries assessed, only South Africa is worse than us. However, the reason for this ranking is not primarily due to the state of development of charging infrastructure. more charging points in a total of 807 locations with an installed capacity of 95 456 kW. Year-on-year, the number of public charging points has increased by 27% and the number of sites by 23%. The most significant increase, of almost 56%, was in total installed capacity.
“There is no reason for operators to build additional public charging stations in large numbers until the use of those already in operation is substantially increased. And that won’t happen until more companies and individuals switch from incinerators to energy-efficient, safe and emission-free EVs,” explains SEVA director Patrik Križanský, but adds in the same breath that the slowdown recorded in the last quarter is very likely also related to preparations for the construction of new stations from the Recovery and Resilience Plan: “The two calls for companies and municipalities, together amounting to more than 16 million euros, are now finally at the stage where the construction of the first public stations from these funds could begin. I firmly believe that this will be reflected in positive results in the second half of 2025 at the latest and we will return to stronger growth again.”
At the same time, the active preparation of sites for the operation of fast charging parks on motorways has begun, which is an absolute necessity for a sense of comfort when driving longer distances. Slovakia has committed to building them by mid-2026, but the construction involves investments in reinforcing the distribution systems in selected locations (motorway rest areas).
The eReadiness 2024 Index from global consultancy PwC is a tool to measure countries’ readiness for the transition to electro-mobility and is calculated based on 14 key indicators, grouped into four main categories: government incentives, infrastructure, supply and demand. Jens Hörning, PricewaterhouseCoopers Automotive Partner for the CEE region, says of Slovakia: “This is the first time Slovakia, like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands, has participated in a study that covers 27 countries worldwide. With an overall score of 1.8 points, Slovakia was ranked second to last among all countries surveyed, last in Europe.” This is mainly due to low scores for existing infrastructure and government incentives for electromobility. Among the European countries surveyed, only Norway and the Netherlands have the same low score as Slovakia in this category, meaning that there are currently no government measures in place to support electromobility in these three countries. However, both of these countries are significantly further along in the development of electromobility than Slovakia and discourage the use of cars with internal combustion engines. The report is available for free download here.
However, Slovakia could score better in the eReadiness Index as early as next year. As part of a package of economic laws, the government and parliament recently adopted a measure that will make the use of electric cars in companies more profitable for both employees and employers. “Just such a small intervention in tax rules can give a strong boost to the development of electromobility. In addition, other measures aimed at easier charging of company cars at employees’ home chargers were also approved by the Parliament,” says Patrik Križanský, Director of SEVA, assessing the recent changes, which finally bring Slovakia a little closer to the level of support for electromobility in other European countries.
The current overview of the public charging network in Slovakia, in which SEVA collects information from all operators of charging services, is available on the website nabijame.sk.
In the current statistics on the public charging infrastructure, which SEVA publishes on a quarterly basis, the categories of charging points have been adjusted according to performance. Whereas previously the highest category included charging points with a capacity of at least 300 kW, as defined by the European Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), this threshold has now been moved to 350 kW. As a consequence, some points have been ‘downgraded’. Therefore, the 150 kW category shows a strong growth, while the highest category has seen a decrease.
The SEVA press release can also be downloaded in PDF format.