Exploring ‘(Non-)Discrimination’ in Charging Infrastructure Sharing

In the context of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, “non-discriminatory access” is a fundamental principle that ensures equal and fair access to public charging facilities for users, electricity suppliers, and service providers. The overarching goals of non-discriminatory access are to promote competition in the electric mobility market, improve user-friendliness and acceptance of electric vehicles, and serve as a key enabler for the successful transition to electric mobility. Emerging digital and technological innovations, including smart load management and interoperable billing platforms, are reshaping charging practices. In this context, inter-organisational EVCI sharing is gaining relevance as a means to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and mitigate disparities in infrastructure availability. While numerous actor-specific challenges and opportunities are examined within the framework of the FAMOUS project, this article develops a matrix based on qualitative interviews, a requirements analysis, and a semi-systematic literature review of the term “non-discrimination”. The matrix is applied in two contexts: first, to public EVCI sharing in Germany and, second, to inter-organisational EVCI sharing within the FAMOUS project. In doing so, the matrix is tested, showing potential areas of discrimination. As such, the paper contributes to the still under-researched field of just mobility transitions and the expansion of charging infrastructure.