Italy's EV charging landscape in 2025: challenges and opportunities
Italy, celebrated for its car manufacturing heritage, is now navigating the electric mobility revolution. While the country has seen impressive growth in EV adoption and infrastructure, it still faces unique challenges that impact its progress. With strategic investments and forward-thinking policies, Italy’s evolving EV market presents immense opportunities for stakeholders to drive innovation and success.
This blog explores Italy’s current EV adoption trends, the state of its charging infrastructure, government policies, persistent challenges, and burgeoning opportunities.
Current state of EV adoption in Italy
Italy’s EV adoption is gaining momentum, albeit at a different pace compared to Europe’s frontrunners.
Growth trends
January 2025 marked a 132.2% year-on-year growth in fully electric vehicle (BEV) registrations, totalling 6,721 units (EAFO). Entry-level models like the Dacia Spring and Citroën C3 Electric drove this surge, making EV ownership accessible to more families.
Market share
Despite such growth, BEVs accounted for just 5.0% of the market share in January 2025. This figure, though promising, highlights significant room for improvement when benchmarked against the EU average of 12.1% for BEVs (EAFO).
Italy’s slow progression can be attributed to uneven EV penetration rates, lingering range anxiety, and affordability concerns—barriers exacerbated by disparities in policy implementation across regions.
EV charging infrastructure status
Charging infrastructure in Italy is expanding, but challenges persist.
Charging points
By the end of 2024, Italy had 58,189 public charging points across almost 20 thousand locations, according to Zoniq's market report. The country is making strides in its electric infrastructure, with €740m from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) dedicated to installing 21,400 ultra-fast charging stations in urban and motorway areas by 2025. This would add approximately 27,000 new charging points within two years (EAFO).
Regional disparities
Infrastructure disparity between the northern and southern regions of Italy is pronounced. Northern regions dominate public charging station counts, while southern cities are playing catch-up (Roland Berger).
Speeds of charge points
Italy falls behind the EU average for charging speeds, with only 14% of its public chargers being DC fast-charging points, compared to 20% across Europe. Improving these figures is vital to alleviating long charging times, one of the barriers to EV adoption nationwide. (Zoniq)
Government policies and incentives
Italy’s governmental strategies for EV adoption are undergoing a transformation in 2025.
Shifts in incentives
Direct subsidies for purchasing EVs have ended, with a pivot towards supporting domestic EV production and infrastructure investment. A total of €4.6bn has been allocated to promote green transition industries and subsidise the electrification of company fleets (Powy Energy).
EU regulations
Under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), member states, including Italy, are mandated to install fast chargers every 60 km along major transport corridors by the end of 2025. This will ensure seamless long-distance travel for EV users.
Regional financial support aside, local incentives across areas like Lombardy and South Tyrol further complement the funding, focusing on reduced installation costs for chargers and promoting EVs among local businesses.
Challenges in the Italian EV market
Despite the promising trajectory, existing roadblocks hinder Italy’s full-scale EV adoption.
Infrastructure deployment
Italy faces bureaucratic hurdles and complex permitting processes that delay the installation of new charging points. Grid capacity constraints also pose significant challenges to meeting infrastructure demands. Seeking innovative solutions like battery-integrated charging systems can mitigate grid limitations.
Regional variations
The uneven development of Italy’s EV market is a persistent issue. The north hosts excellent infrastructure coverage, but central and southern areas, with limited accessibility, discourage nationwide adoption of EVs.
Market penetration barriers
Italy’s EV penetration rate stagnated at 9% in 2024, with affordability and consumer uncertainty surrounding government incentives cited as deterrents (Roland Berger).
Market opportunities
Between technological advancements and ambitious regional targets, Italy offers untapped potential for EV market players.
Infrastructure expansion
Italy aims to reach 110,000 public charging points by 2030, creating substantial opportunities for charge point operators (CPOs) and local governments. Companies like BeCharge are already aggressively expanding their networks, with plans for 3,700 new chargers by 2024 (EIB).
Technological innovations
Rapid technological advancements, including high-power charging systems and smart grid integrations, are emerging as critical enablers in Italy’s charging landscape. Pilots like "Heavy Wave-e" by Ewiva aim to deploy ultra-high-power chargers (up to 400 kW) along major corridors.
Private sector role
Italy’s concentrated charge point provider market is expected to diversify with new entrants like Fastned and Atlante. Additionally, public-private partnerships like the IP-Macquarie initiative to electrify 500-plus fuel stations signify rising external investment opportunities (Mobility Portal).
What does the future hold for Italy's EV landscape?
Italy’s transition to electric mobility is a complex yet dynamic narrative. Challenges, including bureaucratic red tape and infrastructure imbalances, must be tackled head-on. Meanwhile, the opportunities for businesses and municipalities to participate in this transformation are vast.
Stakeholders willing to invest strategically and collaborate across sectors stand to benefit immensely from this paradigm shift. With collective action, Italy can accelerate its transition and emerge as a key contributor to Europe’s electric revolution.
At Zoniq, we help charge point operators, utilities, and local governments seize these opportunities. From comprehensive rollout strategies and site analysis to optimising deployed infrastructure, we ensure maximum efficiency and return on investment.
Partner with us today and drive Italy’s sustainable mobility future.
