Owners of 26 gas stations in the Netherlands are suing the Dutch government, arguing that the more than 200 electric charging stations earmarked for the country's highways represent unfair competition and will pull business from existing stations.
In 2011, the Dutch government chose a company called Fastned to set up a charging infrastructure with more than 200 stations, according to published reports. Fastned recently tapped ABB, a maker of power-transmission gear, to begin installing the chargers in September.
With electric charging, those stations would qualify as refueling centers, which could allow them to qualify for government incentives to open shops and other retail operations.
Just as in the U.S., installation of electric charging stations along the highway will effectively destroy the incentive for private sector investment by pre-empting consumer demand for the technology.
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