In 1990, the European Commission approved an initial plan of action for high-speed railway lines. The European Parliament and the Council then adopted a decision to establish the guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) in 1996. The TEN-T network forms part of a wider system of Trans-European Networks (TENs). The objective of these TENs should be to accelerate the rollout of infrastructure for alternative fuels, including e-Mobility. In the process, the charging infrastructure and efficient integration of electric vehicles in the electricity system is also being looked at.

The European Union has agreed with the Green Deal to lead the EU towards climate neutrality. The European Commission has published a new smart and sustainable mobility strategy for the transport sector. This sets out the strategic policy and creates the framework for delivering the greenhouse gas reductions needed by the transport sector by 2030 and by 2050. TEN-T will make an important contribution to these policy objectives. Priorities will focus on the key network corridors for increasing the sustainability of the transport sector. The fast and effective delivery of the TEN-T network is also necessary for the EU’s internal market to function optimally, by focusing on cross-border transport and on the long-distance transport parts of the network. 

From the European Union, these transport corridors need to be made sustainable at an accelerated pace. However, these transport corridors are not yet ready for these drastic changes. The TEN-T network requires charging stations every 60 kilometres with a minimum output of 400 kilowatts per charging point. Existing charging locations are currently not set up for charging trucks and vans and there is also a huge deficit in terms of the power required from the electricity grid. Electric truck and electric van manufacturers have been collaborating with each other in order to offer a charging network which provides sufficient coverage. Due to local grid congestion, they have not gained traction in many countries for facilitating an extensive charging network.