In many cities, the majority of traction charging stations are operated by a company.
Conditions similar to monopoly prevail on the traction current market in some regions of Germany. In some cases, almost 100 percent of the local charging stations are operated by a company, as the eco-electricity supplier Lichtblick has determined. In particular, the respective municipal utilities often have a dominant position: In Hanover, for example, 96 percent of all public points belong to the municipal Enercity AG, in Munich the local municipal utilities have a market share of 88 percent, and the public utilities in Kiel have 84 percent. The numbers look similar in other large cities. In Hamburg, the market leader's share is 87 percent, in Cologne 71 percent and in Berlin 65 percent.
Lichtblick criticizes this development and warns of distortion of competition and excessive prices. The Berlin company has long proposed a so-called pass-through model as an alternative. Customers could then obtain electricity from their respective contract provider anywhere. Regardless of who operates the infrastructure. Lichtblick itself would also possibly benefit from such a regulation. Opponents argue with the high investments in the construction of charging stations and the long periods for amortization.