Power where it’s needed: Mapping the EV hotspots of tomorrow

As Europe moves toward electrified transport, not all places will be equally prepared.

The transition won’t just depend on the number of charging stations installed — it will hinge on smart planning, based on knowing where electricity demand will spike. And those locations may surprise you.

In the EU-funded project SBEES, three priority areas are emerging where the demand for electricity is expected to be exceptionally high:

• Logistics hubs, where thousands of heavy-duty trucks could require fast charging — all within a few peak hours.

• Motorways, where traffic surges around holidays could overwhelm even well-equipped stations.

• Residential areas, where current grid capacity often falls short of supporting widespread home charging.

  
  

Today, most grid bays were never designed for this type of load. In many areas, there’s no spare capacity at all. That’s why the SBEES project is developing digital services to map demand, estimate storage needs, and support smarter infrastructure investments — before the bottlenecks occur.

Planners, utilities, municipalities and property developers all stand to benefit. Knowing where the pressure will hit makes it possible to act — not just react.

Stay informed and get involved: Sign up for updates or join as an advisor or interviewee. Contact project coordinator Mats Larsson at mats.larsson@iucsyd.se