Ultra-fast charging drives the mobility transformation: SMATRICS EnBW focuses on expansion and speed in 2026
SMATRICS EnBW, Austria's largest operator of ultra-fast charging infrastructure, is continuing to drive forward the growth of its charging network in the country this year, following its record expansion in 2025 of 261 high-power charging (HPC) points. In 2026, 250 ultra-fast charging points will be added, particularly at new charging parks and retail partners. By 2030, the company's own ultra-fast charging network is set to more than double to 1,500 HPC charging points.
Ultra-fast charging makes it possible to charge an electric vehicle within a short time frame for a range of hundreds of kilometers, making it a decisive factor in the mobility transition. The largest operator of ultra-fast charging infrastructure in Austria—SMATRICS EnBW—is continuing to expand its HPC charging network with current charging capacities of up to 400 kilowatts (kW) for 2026 in line with demand along long-distance transport routes, in urban areas, and at retail outlets.
“Ultra-fast charging is no longer a promise for the future; it has long since become the norm in the expansion of charging infrastructure in Austria,” emphasizes Thomas Landsbek, CEO of SMATRICS EnBW. “With our ultra-fast charging stations in the highest performance class, we currently offer a charging time of 15 minutes for up to 400 km of range, depending on the vehicle model – and forecasts show that it will become even faster.”
SMATRICS EnBW is aiming to have 1,500 ultra-fast charging points in operation by 2030. The company currently has a total of 655 HPC charging points at 109 locations in Austria – exceeding its previous expansion targets.
Expansion at record speed: five new charging points per week
2025 was the most successful year of expansion to date for SMATRICS EnBW. In the past twelve months alone, the nationwide ultra-fast charging network grew by 261 new high-power charging points. On average, this means that five ultra-fast charging points were installed per week in Austria.
A comparison of the federal states on the network shows that Upper Austria and Lower Austria remain the charging hotspots with a total of 240 HPC charging points. The largest increases were in Vienna (+104 percent), Tyrol (+100 percent), and Styria (+83 percent).
Strong demand for ultra-fast charging infrastructure
But it is not only the expansion that is having an impact – SMATRICS EnBW also saw significant growth in the use of its charging infrastructure last year: in 2025, the charging infrastructure operator recorded an increase of more than two-thirds in both the number of kilowatt hours charged and the number of charging processes. “The increase in charging processes highlights two things: that customers are increasingly focusing on ultra-fast and reliable charging, and that the proportion of electric vehicles on the road is steadily rising,” explains Landsbek.
Focus on charging stations along expressways and highways
SMATRICS EnBW is consistently focusing on charging options along highways and expressways. There are already 63 locations with 415 HPC charging points in operation – an increase of 82 percent over the previous year. In 2025, there was a particular focus on expansion along the southern axis of the A2 and A9 motorways with 24 new locations.
Another key focus of expansion is charging parks: these are locations with more than eight charging points and an available charging capacity of at least 400 kilowatt hours. SMATRICS EnBW already operates almost 40 of these locations at strategically important points throughout Austria. In 2025, the first charging park with its own truck parking spaces was also put into operation in Regau. A further 19 charging parks are planned for 2026, including in Hallein, Altlengbach, Sebersdorf, and Pingau. In addition to performance and availability, comfort and quality of stay play a crucial role: roofing over charging stations, snack areas and food outlets, as well as security monitoring are increasingly becoming standard features. Photovoltaic systems and battery storage solutions further increase the economic efficiency of the locations.
“Speed is and remains a decisive factor when it comes to public charging. However, our charging parks offer more than just charging facilities. They are infrastructure hubs for modern and sustainable mobility and offer customers all the amenities they need for a pleasant stay,” Landsbek is convinced.
Every second loading bay at retail partner
Already today, around half of all SMATRICS EnBW locations are located at retail partners. These fast-charging locations in particular enable the ideal integration of e-mobility into everyday life. "Fast charging at retail outlets allows charging without any loss of time: the car charges while I go about my business. We naturally see a very great need to combine charging and shopping here. That's why we have focused on an extensive and stable partner network from the outset – and the potential remains huge," explains SMATRICS EnBW CEO Landsbek. SMATRICS EnBW currently operates more than 280 charging points at over 50 locations at REWE alone – i.e., BILLA, BILLA Plus, and PENNY. In 2026, another 15 locations with over 100 charging points will be added. Cooperation partners such as METRO, ZGONC, and BAUHAUS also have over 70 charging locations available, which are also being continuously expanded.
Regardless of location or number of available charging stations, 100 percent of the electricity used to operate them comes from renewable energy sources provided by VERBUND.
Austria on the path to the mobility transition
A clear trend toward high-power charging is also evident throughout Austria outside the SMATRICS EnBW network: by the end of 2025, there were over 4,000 public HPC charging points available nationwide—meaning that the proportion of ultra-fast charging stations has more than doubled in twelve months. The installed HPC capacity now exceeds one megawatt. At the same time, the proportion of battery-electric cars in the 2025 fleet has risen to 4.9 percent on average in Austria.
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