2026 Charging Forward Report
Charging Forward — 2026 Industry Report
EV Demand is outpacing the infrastructure built to serve it
Data from more than 100 million charging sessions reveals where the EV industry is headed, and what needs to happen next.
By the numbers
Source: ChargePoint proprietary data | BloombergNEF Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026
Charging infrastructure
EV charging usage is outpacing infrastructure development
ChargePoint gathered data from over 100 million EV charging sessions it powered in the past year. When you look at that data alongside 2025 EV sales numbers, it points to a clear gap: charging infrastructure is falling behind what drivers actually need.
34%
Jump in charging sessions in 2025
Outpacing new port installations, which grew by only 16%.
1 Million
Drivers charge with us every month
Charging volume grew much faster than the number of vehicles on the road.
60%
Of all-time electric miles came in the last two years
That is not the arc of a maturing market. That is the beginning of one.
Even with 190,000 more ChargePoint accessed ports available to drivers, charger utilization still outpaced the growth of new ports by almost 20%. This bottleneck presents an opportunity, as it leaves an opening for private and public charging providers to meet demand, and profit from it.
State of the market
EV adoption
In 2019, EVs made up less than 5% of new passenger vehicle sales worldwide. By 2026, that figure climbed to 27%, with most of the growth between 2023–2026, as battery prices fell and automakers aggressively launched affordable models.
Global 27% of global new passenger vehicle sales are EVs
Up from under 5% in 2019, with most growth concentrated between 2023 and 2026.
North America 57% of vehicle sales expected to be EVs by 2040
EVs account for nearly 8% of new car sales in the U.S. today, projected to reach 14% by 2029 and 17% by 2030.
China 63% of global EV sales in 2025 came from China
Passenger EV sales increased by 10% in the first half of 2026. 96% of 2025 Brazilian EV sales came from Chinese manufacturers.
Europe 30% EV market growth across Europe in 2025
The world’s second-largest EV market. EVs remain approximately 17% more expensive than internal combustion vehicles.
Source: BloombergNEF Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026
Where the industry is headed
Four technologies reshaping the charging landscape
The EV charging ecosystem is moving far beyond plug-in-and-wait. These emerging capabilities are redefining what charging infrastructure can do — and what it will need to be.
Vehicle-to-Everything
Every EV becomes an asset the grid can rely on
Charging infrastructure must support V2X as EVs become a major share of global electricity demand. V2G stabilizes the grid during peak demand. V2H provides household backup power and peak-rate savings.
Artificial Intelligence
Smarter charging, predictive maintenance, dynamic pricing
AI enables predictive demand forecasting, dynamic time-of-use pricing, optimized fleet scheduling, and real-time diagnosis of charger faults. For both individual drivers and fleet operators, AI transforms charging from a manual task into an automated, cost-optimized process.
Next-Gen Charging Speeds
DC fast charging races toward the 5-10 minute fueling benchmark
DC architectures capable of up to 600kW are closing the gap with gas station refueling times. Meanwhile, AC Level 2 is also evolving — new architectures push output to 80 amps (19.2 kW), a 60% increase, making ubiquitous charging faster without adding cost.
Autonomous Vehicles
Robotaxis could become the single largest charging demand source
North America is projected to have 8 million robotaxis by 2040 — the largest market globally. These vehicles could account for more than 35% of total EV electricity demand. The charging systems that serve them must be built well before the peak.
8M
Robotaxis projected in North America by 2040
The largest robotaxi market globally, and more than 35% of total EV electricity demand in North America by that year.
Source: BloombergNEF Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026
Commercial electrification
The eMobility shift in commercial trucking
Commercial trucks and vans continue to go electric as commercial fleet operators leverage opportunities to lower their total cost of ownership. By 2040, around two-thirds of commercial trucks and vans will be electric.
While many will be medium and light duty vehicles, some will be heavy duty requiring megawatt charging. For fleet operators and infrastructure investors, this represents one of the most capital-intensive and time-sensitive build-out opportunities in the sector.
2/3
Commercial trucks and vans will be electric by 2040
Commercial fleet operators are leveraging opportunities to lower their total cost of ownership as trucks and vans continue to go electric.
MW
Megawatt charging for heavy duty buses and trucks
While many will be medium and light duty vehicles, some will be heavy duty requiring megawatt charging. Infrastructure is expected to grow meaningfully through 2030 and beyond.
The ChargePoint advantage
Three ways ChargePoint is making EV charging easier for everyone
The infrastructure gap is real, the technology trends are clear, and the market is moving fast. ChargePoint is positioned at the convergence of all three.
600kW
Max Charging Speed
Express Solo is the world’s fastest standalone charger for mass-market passenger vehicles, up to 600 kW for a single EV, or shared across up to four.
1
Unified Platform
Re-engineered from the ground up, the ChargePoint Platform empowers operators to optimize any charging infrastructure, from a single site to a global network.
98%
Station Uptime
ChargePoint Assure and Assure Pro Customers enjoy 98% station uptime, backed by AI powered diagnosis, cut resistant cables, and Safeguard Care.
Plus
An industry-first partnership with Eaton
Co-developing new technologies to advance bidirectional power flow and V2X capabilities, thus enabling EVs to act as a power source for homes, buildings, and the grid itself.
Looking ahead
The question isn’t whether to invest. It’s how.
The data in this report points to a single, clear conclusion: the electric transition is underway, and demand for charging is accelerating faster than the infrastructure built to serve it. The technologies to close that gap already exist — the right partner, the right platform, and the right technology are what determine who wins.
Get the full picture
The complete Charging Forward 2026 report includes detailed market analysis, technology deep-dives, regional breakdowns, and the strategic roadmap for what comes next.
Download the Report Connect with an Expert
Data sources: BloombergNEF Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026, Cox Automotive, Rho Motion, and ChargePoint proprietary data unless otherwise noted.
