1. Program overview
On 25 March 2026, Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) announced a new federal funding program that makes €500 million available to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at multifamily residential buildings. The goal is to make everyday electric mobility practical for people who live in apartments and other multi-occupancy buildings, where charging options have so far been insufficient.
The funding is aimed at installing wallboxes and related charging infrastructure at parking spaces for tenants and residents, helping to close the gap between single-family home charging solutions and the needs of apartment dwellers.
2. Who can apply
The program accepts applications from a range of property stakeholders. Eligible applicants include owners’ associations, private landlords, municipal and private housing companies, and real estate firms that manage or own parking spaces at multifamily residential buildings.
- Homeowners associations and owners’ communities
- Private property owners and landlords
- Residential housing companies
- Real estate companies with residential parking spaces
3. What is funded and funding amounts
The program provides per-parking-space subsidies to support the purchase and installation of charging equipment. Funding covers both the hardware and the necessary construction and connection work to introduce reliable charging points.
| Item | Maximum subsidy per parking space |
|---|---|
| Standard wallbox (single-direction) | €1,500 |
| Bidirectional charging (vehicle-to-home or similar) | Up to €2,000 |
| Technical limit | Charging power limited to 22 kW |
Eligible costs include the purchase of the wallbox, installation and construction work at the parking space, and the electrical network connection. The cap on charging power is set at 22 kilowatts per point under this scheme.
4. Application period and practical details
The application window runs from 15 April to 10 November 2026. Applicants need to submit proposals during this period through the ministry’s funding portal. The portal is the official channel for submitting applications and checking detailed program conditions.
Applications should document the number of parking spaces, the planned type of charging equipment (standard or bidirectional), estimated costs, and the applicant’s status (owners’ association, landlord, housing company, or real estate company).
5. Background and legal context
This program builds on earlier federal efforts that subsidized roughly one million private charging points, primarily for single-family homes up to 2024. Regional funding in some states had supplemented federal support, but several regional pot of funds and public charging subsidies are largely exhausted.
Legal obligations and upcoming changes
As of 1 February 2026, there were 196,353 charging points in operation. The new program shifts focus toward multifamily housing to address the fact that a large share of the population lives in apartment buildings where charging infrastructure has lagged behind.
Property owners already face legal requirements to provision wiring infrastructure for charging points when constructing new buildings or conducting major renovations. These rules must be tightened by May 2026 to comply with EU directives. From 2027 onward, new residential buildings with three or more parking spaces must include at least one completed charging point.
6. Practical tips for applicants
To make the most of the funding, property owners and managers should plan carefully and coordinate early. Key considerations include assessing existing electrical capacity, deciding between standard and bidirectional systems, and securing necessary approvals from owners’ associations or tenants.
- Perform an early electrical assessment to check transformer and supply capacity.
- Decide if bidirectional charging is desirable and justify the higher per-space subsidy if chosen.
- Coordinate with residents and owners’ associations to agree on locations and access arrangements.
- Include costs for cabling, trenching, permits, and grid connection in the project budget.
- Plan installations to fit within the grant application and project timelines.
Remember that the subsidy limits and the 22 kW power cap should guide equipment choices. For many apartment properties, smart wallboxes with load management and shared metering arrangements will be important to efficiently serve multiple users.
7. Next steps and summary
In summary, the €500 million program announced by Minister Schnieder aims to extend EV charging access to residents of multifamily buildings by providing targeted subsidies per parking space. The focus on apartments marks a policy shift from earlier support that mainly reached single-family homeowners.
- Check eligibility for your property (owners’ association, landlord, housing company, or real estate firm).
- Assess the number of parking spaces and technical requirements.
- Decide on standard or bidirectional charging and estimate total costs.
- Prepare and submit an application between 15 April and 10 November 2026 via the ministry’s funding portal.
- Arrange contractors and grid connection planning once funding approval is confirmed.
This funding is a practical step toward making electric mobility everyday-ready for apartment residents. Careful planning, early coordination, and attention to technical and legal requirements will help applicants take full advantage of the available support.
