USER-CHI · Project

Smart EV Charging Solutions Tested Across 5 European Cities for Scalable Deployment

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Imagine pulling up to charge your electric car and it's as easy as filling up with petrol — you find a spot, plug in, pay seamlessly, and the grid handles the extra load without breaking a sweat. That's what this project worked on across 5 major European cities: Barcelona, Rome, Berlin, Budapest, and Turku. They built software tools, tested new business models, and figured out how to make charging infrastructure work for drivers, cities, and energy companies all at once. Think of it as the behind-the-scenes plumbing that makes mass EV adoption actually practical.

By the numbers

European cities used as demonstration sites

consortium partners

countries represented in the consortium

industry partners in the consortium

SMEs in the consortium

63%

industry ratio in the consortium

replication cities for scalability validation

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Europe's EV charging infrastructure is fragmented, hard to use, and expensive to deploy at scale. Cities and charging operators struggle with low utilization, poor user experience, and uncertainty about which business models actually work. Without proven, integrated solutions that work across different city sizes and grid conditions, the mass adoption of electric vehicles remains bottlenecked by inadequate charging networks.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered the CLICK software prototype — a web-based platform for integrated charging infrastructure management, with a documented integration and deployment report. Across 50 total deliverables, the team produced tested business models, regulatory recommendations, and smart grid integration tools, all validated in real city environments from Barcelona to Turku.

Audience

Who needs this

EV charging point operators expanding their networks across European citiesMunicipal transport and smart city departments planning EV infrastructure rolloutsDistribution system operators managing grid impact from growing EV demandFleet management companies transitioning to electric vehiclesReal estate developers integrating EV charging into commercial and residential properties

Business applications

Who can put this to work

EV Charging Operators

mid-size

Target: Companies deploying and managing public or semi-public EV charging networks

If you are a charging point operator struggling with low utilization rates and fragmented user experiences — this project developed and demonstrated integrated smart charging solutions across 5 European cities. Their CLICK software prototype helps optimize charging station placement, usage, and grid integration. The results were validated in real urban environments from Barcelona to Turku, covering different city sizes and e-mobility maturity levels.

Urban Mobility & City Planning

enterprise

Target: Municipal transport authorities and smart city solution providers

If you are a city authority or mobility planner trying to integrate EV charging into your urban transport strategy — this project tested user-centric charging deployment in 5 cities across 6 countries, plus 2 replication cities (Murcia and Florence). They developed regulatory recommendations and business models specifically designed for cities at different stages of e-mobility adoption, connected along TEN-T corridors.

Energy & Grid Management

enterprise

Target: Distribution system operators and energy utilities managing grid capacity

If you are a grid operator concerned about the impact of mass EV charging on your distribution network — this project explored how to turn EV charging into a grid asset rather than a burden. With 19 industry partners and demonstrations in 5 cities, they tested smart grid integration approaches that balance charging demand with grid capacity, making large-scale EV infrastructure financially viable for energy companies.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these charging solutions?

The project did not publish specific per-unit deployment costs in the available data. However, the solutions were designed to make large-scale charging infrastructure financially attractive for both private and public actors. Contact the coordinator for detailed cost breakdowns from their 5-city demonstrations.

Can these solutions scale beyond the pilot cities?

Yes — scalability was a core design goal. The project specifically included 2 replication cities (Murcia and Florence) beyond the 5 main demo sites to validate transferability. Their partnership with EUROCITIES was intended to maximize replication across European cities after project completion.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The CLICK software prototype is a key deliverable with a documented integration report. IP arrangements across 30 consortium partners would need to be clarified with the coordinator. As an Innovation Action, results are typically closer to market and licensing terms may already be defined.

Does this work with existing charging hardware and standards?

Interoperability is one of the project's core keywords and design principles. The solutions were tested across 5 cities in 6 countries with different existing infrastructure, suggesting compatibility with multiple hardware standards and grid configurations.

What's the regulatory situation for deploying these solutions?

The project developed new regulatory framework conditions as part of its outputs. These were validated across 6 countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain, Finland, Hungary, Italy), giving a broad view of European regulatory landscapes for EV charging deployment.

How long would it take to deploy in a new city?

The project ran from 2020 to 2024 for full development and testing. However, the replication framework developed for Murcia and Florence suggests that deploying proven solutions in a new city would be significantly faster than the original development timeline.

Consortium

Who built it

The USER-CHI consortium is heavily industry-driven with 19 out of 30 partners (63%) coming from the private sector, and zero universities — an unusual composition that signals strong commercial intent. The 6-country spread across Spain, Germany, Italy, Finland, Hungary, and Belgium covers both mature and emerging EV markets. The coordinator ETRA Investigacion y Desarrollo SA is a Spanish private company, not an academic institution, which typically means results are closer to market deployment. With 5 SMEs in the mix alongside larger industry players, plus 2 research organizations, this consortium was built to deliver deployable solutions rather than academic papers.

ETRA INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO SACoordinator · ES
TURUN KAUPUNKIparticipant · FI
COMUNE DI FIRENZEparticipant · IT
ASOCIACION ESPANOLA DE NORMALIZACIONparticipant · ES
OY TURKU ENERGIA - ABO ENERGI ABparticipant · FI
BECKER BUTTNER HELD PARTNERSCHAFTthirdparty · DE
ROMA SERVIZI PER LA MOBILITA SRLparticipant · IT
AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILEparticipant · IT
INSTITUT FUR KLIMASCHUTZ ENERGIE UND MOBILITAT-RECHT, OKONOMIE UND POLITIK EVparticipant · DE
GEWOBAG WOHNUNGSBAU- AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT BERLINparticipant · DE
AYUNTAMIENTO DE MURCIAparticipant · ES
INSTITUTO DE BIOMECANICA DE VALENCIAparticipant · ES
EUROCITIES ASBLparticipant · BE
FIT CONSULTING SRLparticipant · IT
AREA METROPOLITANA DE BARCELONAparticipant · ES
ENEL X SRLparticipant · IT
BKK BUDAPESTI KOZLEKEDESI KOZPONT ZARTKORUEN MUKODO RESZVENYTARSASAGthirdparty · HU
VMZ BERLIN BETREIBERGESELLSCHAFT MBHparticipant · DE
BUDAPEST FOVAROS ONKORMANYZATAparticipant · HU

How to reach the team

ETRA Investigacion y Desarrollo SA (Spain) — a private R&D company specializing in transport and energy solutions

Order a report on this consortium See ETRA INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO SA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to access USER-CHI's charging infrastructure tools or connect with their industry partners? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right team member.

Order a report on this topic More in Transport & Mobility