Plug and Charge Picks Up Speed Across Europe

Hubject and Electra scale Plug and Charge across Europe, cutting friction and signaling a shift toward simpler, faster EV charging

12 Dec 2025

Europe’s electric vehicle charging market is beginning to move beyond pilot projects, as a partnership between Hubject and fast-charging operator Electra expands the use of so-called Plug and Charge technology across borders.

Plug and Charge allows drivers to start charging simply by connecting their vehicle, with authentication and payment handled automatically in the background. The approach removes the need for mobile apps, cards or QR codes, which have long been a source of failed charging sessions and driver frustration.

What sets the latest deployment apart is scale. By integrating Plug and Charge across Electra’s growing charging network and linking it to Hubject’s roaming platform, the two companies are enabling one of Europe’s first cross-border implementations that works across multiple markets and operators.

The timing reflects mounting pressure on the sector. EV adoption continues to rise, but inconsistent charging experiences remain a barrier, particularly for drivers travelling outside their home countries. Fragmented systems and unreliable payment processes have weakened confidence in public charging infrastructure.

Regulatory scrutiny is also increasing. European policymakers are tightening requirements around transparency, accessibility and user experience. Features once marketed as innovation are increasingly viewed as minimum standards. Technologies that reduce errors, improve charger utilisation and speed up sessions are becoming central to commercial viability.

Hubject has positioned itself as a connective layer between charging networks, aiming to simplify roaming and interoperability across Europe. Electra, which is expanding rapidly in several countries, is betting that seamless access will be expected by drivers who want charging abroad to feel no different from charging at home.

Challenges remain. Not all vehicles currently support Plug and Charge, and operators must address security concerns as visible authentication steps disappear. Some market participants are cautious about relying on centralised platforms to manage access and payments.

Even so, early adoption is already influencing competitors. Other charging operators are reviewing their own strategies, and interest in wider deployment is growing. As Plug and Charge becomes more common, long-distance EV travel in Europe is likely to become simpler and more predictable, narrowing one of the remaining gaps between electric and conventional driving.