2,000 New Medium-Speed EV Chargers to Be Installed at Large Supermarkets and Movie Theaters

Manufacturing Capabilities to Be Evaluated for Subsidies
Minimum Performance Standards Introduced
490,000 Chargers to Be Installed by End of 2025
"Focus Will Shift to Enhancing Charging Quality and Reliability"

Demonstration Scene of Ioniq 5 Robotaxi Charging Using Electric Vehicle Automatic Charging Robot

In the future, medium-speed chargers will be installed alongside slow and fast chargers. The government plans to supply 2,000 medium-speed chargers to large supermarkets and movie theaters this year. In addition, when providing subsidies for electric vehicle chargers, manufacturing capabilities will also be taken into consideration.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on January 22 that it will allocate 545.7 billion won this year to support the installation of 4,450 fast chargers, 2,000 medium-speed chargers, and 65,000 slow chargers (15,000 of which will be replacements).

This year marks the first time that medium-speed chargers are included as eligible for installation support.

Medium-speed chargers are defined as chargers with an output of at least 30kW and less than 50kW, capable of fully charging an electric vehicle in about two to three hours. In places like large supermarkets or movie theaters, where people typically stay for two to three hours, using a fast charger can be inconvenient because the vehicle charges too quickly and must be moved, while slow chargers do not provide enough charge. This is why the government is promoting the deployment of medium-speed chargers.

The standards for fast and slow chargers have also been adjusted to "over 50kW" for fast chargers and "3kW to less than 30kW" for slow chargers.

Starting this year, the Ministry will evaluate the performance of power modules, a core component of fast chargers, when selecting charger installation operators. If the product does not meet the standards, the subsidy will be reduced.

Previously, "project operators" for electric vehicle charger installations were selected mainly from among operators, with evaluations focused on management, business operations, and maintenance. From this year, however, both operators and manufacturers will be evaluated and selected separately, and the "project operator selection" will be implemented as a consortium model involving both operators and manufacturers.

Additionally, from this year, whether the minimum performance standards are met will be directly linked to subsidy eligibility, and chargers that do not meet the standards will be excluded from support. The Ministry will conduct performance evaluations of power modules, the core component of fast chargers, and reduce subsidies if the standards are not met.

As of the end of 2025, there were 490,467 electric vehicle chargers installed nationwide, with 55,223 fast chargers and 435,244 slow chargers.

Seo Youngtae, Director of Green Transition Policy at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, stated, "The 2026 guidelines go beyond simply increasing the number of installations and focus on improving the quality and reliability of charging that people experience. By strengthening the minimum performance standards for electric vehicle chargers, we will make it difficult for products that do not meet the standards to enter the market. By evaluating not only operational capabilities but also manufacturing capabilities, we aim to create a virtuous cycle where breakdowns and inconveniences are reduced even after chargers are installed."