Summary
On 19 June 2026, the Swiss Federal Council submitted an amendment to the Energy Act for public consultation. Property owners will in future be obligated to install basic charging infrastructure for electric vehicles if tenants or condominium owners request it. The consultation period runs until 12 October 2026. The regulation particularly affects multi-party buildings and is intended to support vehicle electrification to achieve the net-zero target by 2050.
People
- Jürg Grossen (National Councillor, Initiator)
Topics
- Energy transition and electromobility
- Tenancy law and condominium ownership
- Infrastructure development
- Climate policy
Clarus Lead
The legislative amendment addresses a central obstacle to electromobility in Switzerland: lack of charging infrastructure is one of the most common reasons why vehicle owners do not purchase electric vehicles. Since rental relationships and condominium ownership are widespread in Switzerland, expansion in multi-party buildings becomes a critical bottleneck. The new regulation creates for the first time a legal obligation for property owners to provide this infrastructure – a political signal for accelerated decarbonization of the transport sector.
Detailed Summary
The legislative amendment is based on Motion 23.3936 of National Councillor Jürg Grossen, which Parliament adopted in June 2025. It creates the legal basis for a right to charging infrastructure in rental and condominium ownership relationships.
The right is limited to persons who themselves live in the property or residential complex and whose parking space was provided by the same landlord or landlady – including sub-tenants. Installation must be reasonable. Basic installation includes the power supply line to the parking space, a system for allocating electricity consumption, and, if necessary, a load management system. In rental relationships, costs can generally be passed on to the parking space rent. Disputes are decided by civil courts.
Key Statements
- Federal Council submits Energy Act amendment for public consultation (until 12 October 2026)
- Property owners can be obligated to provide basic charging infrastructure installation
- Regulation targets multi-party buildings and aims to accelerate electromobility
Critical Questions
Evidence/Data Quality: What empirical data demonstrates that lack of charging infrastructure is actually the most common reason for not purchasing electric vehicles – rather than purchase costs or range?
Conflicts of Interest: How will "reasonableness" of basic installation be concretely defined and verified? Who bears the risk in case of technical or economic unforeseen circumstances?
Causality/Alternatives: Would state subsidization of charging infrastructure have been an alternative to the obligation for property owners? What cost-shifting effects are to be expected for tenants?
Feasibility/Risks: How will it be ensured that property owners do not effectively block installation through excessive parking space rents? Are there price caps or regulatory mechanisms?
Conflicts of Interest – Landlords: Do incentives arise for landlords to separate parking spaces from apartments to circumvent the obligation?
Causality – Net-Zero Target: How significant is the actual contribution of this infrastructure measure to achieving the net-zero target 2050 in the transport sector?
Feasibility – Older Buildings: How practical is implementation in older buildings with limited electrical installations or space constraints?
Sources
Primary Source: Federal Council – Press Release from 19.06.2026: Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure – Amendment to Energy Act https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/66VYsJf9n5dbavk-IhLan
Verification Status: ✓ 19.06.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 19.06.2026