e-Mobility RO: €49.5 million for fast chargers on Romania's motorways and national roads, with applications open until November 27
Romania's Ministry of Transport has opened the e-Mobility RO call for charging stations on motorways, expressways and national roads: €49.5 million from the Modernisation Fund, at least 2×150 kW per site for cars, 24/7 access, and applications via MySMIS until November 27, 2026. Who can apply and what the rules are.
Romania's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI) has launched a €49.5 million (259,780,950 lei) funding call for fast-charging stations on motorways, expressways and main national roads. The money comes through the "e-Mobility RO" state aid scheme. Companies submit projects through the MySMIS2021 platform from September 28, 2026, 12:00 to November 27, 2026, 23:59 (Bucharest time).
One detail that's often mixed up: the funding isn't from Romania's recovery plan (PNRR). It comes from the Modernisation Fund (Key Programme 9), which is financed by EU revenue from CO₂ emission allowances.
The call at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Scheme | e-Mobility RO, approved by MTI Order no. 1,319/2025, last amended by Order no. 818/2026 |
| Applicant guide | approved by MTI Order no. 886/2026 (Official Gazette no. 819 and 819 bis, September 25, 2026) |
| Funding source | Modernisation Fund, Key Programme 9 |
| Call budget | €49,500,000 (259,780,950 lei) |
| Call code | PFM/1233/PFM_P9/NA/P9_OS3/FM_9.3 |
| Submission | MySMIS2021, September 28, 2026 (12:00) – November 27, 2026 (23:59) |
| Project completion deadline | June 30, 2030 at the latest |
Where stations can be built
Only on motorways, expressways and main national roads managed by CNAIR, the national road company, and only on the sections marked on the map annexed to the guide (published by MTI on August 25). In practice, that means roads on the European TEN-T network.
On motorways and expressways, a "location" means the service areas or fuel stations along the route. On national roads, it's any site the applicant can prove it has the right to use. In every case, the applicant needs prior consent from the road administrator.
What a station must have
The minimum requirements in Order 818/2026:
- For cars and light vans: at least two charging points of 150 kW each and at least 600 kW of total installed and absorbed power. Each point needs at least one CCS Combo 2 connector.
- For heavy vehicles (trucks, coaches): at least two points of at least 350 kW, with at least 3,600 kW in total on the TEN-T core network or 1,500 kW on the TEN-T comprehensive network. On national roads due to be replaced by motorways or expressways, the thresholds drop to 2,800 kW and 1,400 kW respectively.
- Public 24/7 access, non-discriminatory, including on prices, authentication and payment. Prices for users other than the beneficiary must be at market level.
- New equipment, plus an annual energy audit throughout the project's durability period.
In the scheme, a "charging point" means at least 22 kW. For cars, though, the call explicitly requires 150 kW chargers, so slow AC charging on motorways isn't what's being funded.
The scheme has two submeasures. Submeasure 1 funds only the charging infrastructure and related works. Submeasure 2 also requires on-site renewable generation and battery storage, with the storage absorbing at least 75% of the renewable output each year. Each applicant may submit one project per submeasure in each procedure, but a project can cover several locations.
Who can apply
Order 818/2026 requires that applicants are not undertakings in difficulty and haven't started works before applying, the so-called "incentive effect". The project must not have received public money before, except for preliminary studies.
Further details don't appear in the official texts we consulted; they come only from a consultancy's summary (TMC, on e-mobility.ro). According to that summary, micro-enterprises, SMEs and large companies can apply, but newly established firms can't. Maximum aid would be €30 million per beneficiary, with up to 100% aid intensity through competitive bidding, scored on cost per kW and total installed power. Treat these figures as indicative and check them against the applicant guide before building a project around them.
Timeline after submission
According to the call calendar approved by MTI Order 904/2026:
- December 30, 2026 – February 1, 2027: appeals on the technical-economic evaluation;
- February 2–18, 2027: final list after appeals;
- February 19 – March 26, 2027: administrative and eligibility checks, with results on March 29, 2027;
- April 30 – May 19, 2027: appeals and final list of admitted and rejected projects;
- May 20–28, 2027: contract signing.
One timing risk: the EU block exemption regulation (GBER) that the scheme relies on expires on December 31, 2026. In Order 818, MTI committed to aligning the scheme with the new rules. The order also says explicitly that if alignment doesn't happen in time, no contracts can be signed after the transition period.
What it means for drivers
- No new stations tomorrow. Contracts are only signed in May 2027, and projects have until June 2030. Realistically, the first stations funded by this call might appear in 2027–2028. That's our estimate based on the calendar.
- The standard is good: at least 2×150 kW, CCS2, open 24/7, at market prices. That's exactly what many Romanian motorway and national-road stretches are missing.
- On national roads, the map matters. Only sections marked on MTI's map are eligible, so not every national road will get stations.
- If you're planning long EV trips in Romania, also factor in the road vignette change from October 1, covered in our article on the new 228 lei vignette for electric cars.
