Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 17, Supermarket parking lots are emerging as important sites for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in urban areas. A recent study by the Reiner Lemoine Institute found that better use of supermarket charging stations could reduce demand for public chargers in Berlin by up to 17%, provided utilization improves, an area where current efficiency remains limited.

By 2045, Berlin is expected to host around 1.4 million electric cars and light commercial vehicles. Meeting this demand will require approximately 330,000 charging points, roughly ten times the number currently available. Most of this demand is projected to occur in non-public areas, including supermarket car parks, highlighting the potential of leveraging existing infrastructure.

Optimizing existing chargers at these locations could help relieve pressure on public charging networks, which often face long planning and approval timelines. The “Retail4Multi-Use” project, led by researchers from the Reiner Lemoine Institute and the German Aerospace Center, examined how current infrastructure could be shared more effectively. The study found that sharing chargers with predictable user groups—such as taxi fleets, logistics companies, and car-sharing operators—can substantially improve efficiency.

The research concluded that multi-use concepts could significantly enhance the economic performance of existing charging networks. Model calculations suggest potential efficiency gains of up to 255%. To facilitate this, a dedicated platform is being developed to connect owners of charging points with potential users, creating a more coordinated and productive use of available resources.

A pilot project has already been launched in Berlin, where Berliner Wasserbetriebe and energy supplier Vattenfall are sharing charging infrastructure at a Netto supermarket parking lot. Nils Brätsch from Berliner Wasserbetriebe’s technical services and fleet management department explained: “Some colleagues, for example from the laboratory or from metering, often have long trips across the city. The multi-use concept enables us to quickly recharge near work sites, thus saving travel time to the depot – an approach that can also be transferred to other companies.”

The initiative demonstrates how shared use of charging points can provide convenience for businesses while maximizing the utilization of installed infrastructure. It also reflects a broader trend in urban mobility planning, where private and semi-public spaces are integrated into city-wide electrification strategies.

The Retail4Multi-Use project received support from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport under the Electromobility Funding Guidelines. Researchers aim to scale the concept to other urban areas and commercial sites, showing that efficient multi-use of charging infrastructure can play a critical role in supporting the transition to electric mobility while reducing investment pressures on public networks.

Overall, the study highlights that supermarket and commercial parking lots could become key components of urban EV charging strategies, enabling faster, more efficient, and economically sustainable expansion of Berlin’s charging infrastructure.