The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is delivering concrete results across the EU, supporting large-scale reforms and investments, contributing substantially to Europe’s green transition. It is at the forefront of transforming transport systems across Member States through a dual approach of investments and reforms.
By directing funding to the rollout of clean and efficient transport infrastructure - such as zero-emission public transport, electric vehicle charging networks and multimodal mobility hubs - while also supporting the digitalisation and decarbonisation of urban and regional mobility systems, the RRF contributes to the shift towards more sustainable and accessible transport in the EU.
Alongside these investments, the RRF supports Member States in implementing enabling reforms aimed at streamlining permitting for sustainable transport infrastructure, removing regulatory barriers, and accelerating the adoption of cleaner mobility solutions.
The RRF is expected to introduce approximately 1.8 million of zero - and low-emission vehicles, 13 000 new clean buses and 17 000 km of railway upgraded or constructed, which will help advance the EU’s climate objectives and reduce the transport sector’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Cleaner Transport, Connected Europe: greener mobility thanks to the RRF
EUR 86.7 billion of the Recovery and Resilience Facility is directed to sustainable mobility. This represents 25% of the estimated cost for the green transition pillar in the RRPs.
Additionally, 20% of the estimated costs for the green transition pillar is allocated for clean power and 26% for energy efficiency.
Discover more about how the RRF is transforming Europe in the dedicated factsheets on clean power and energy efficiency.
Support to electric vehicles
The RRF includes investments to introduce approximately 1.8 million zero- and low-emission vehicles [1]. This corresponds to 24% of the entire zero-emission vehicle stock in the EU. These commitments are complemented by ambitious reforms, which will enable a much greater uptake of sustainable private mobility through improved incentives for electric vehicles and increased availability of charging infrastructure.
| Figure 2: Projected zero- and low-emission vehicles in the RRPs [Number] | |
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Fact box: Support for electric vehicles under the RRF
The Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) estimates that about 40% of EVs supported by the RRF are made in Germany1. In fact, the RRF provides direct support for several European car manufacturers, such as Renault, BMW, Volkswagen, Opel and Mercedes-Benz (for further information on the Economic Impacts of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, see the relevant country fiches on the RRF Website). In 2023, Chinese made vehicles accounted for approximately 20% of EVs sold in the EU2.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility provides significant support also to the manufacturing of vehicles - particularly electric vehicles - through several measures on industrial competitiveness and sustainability, estimated at around €6 billion. This includes targeted action for the automotive and electric-vehicle sectors, such as the provision of equity or debt support, or direct support schemes in the form of grants or loans, for relevant investment projects.
Additional targeted support comes from schemes to incentivise private investment across the EV value chain, such as efforts to scale the production of batteries and further development of fuel-cell drive trains. Additionally, through incentive schemes for charging infrastructure, EV and fuel-cell vehicle purchases, and research and innovation in electromobility, such as support for next-generation EV components and related industrial processes, there are also significant indirect incentives for vehicle production.
1European Commission, 2025, Economic Impacts of the Recovery and Resilience Facility: New Insights at Sectoral Level and the Case of Germany
2ACEA, 2024, Factsheet - EU-China Vehicle Trade - 8 % Chinese brands, the rest being non-Chinese brands made in China.
Efforts to increase the availability of cleaner transport alternatives are complemented by investments in infrastructure to ensure the necessary accessibility of charging infrastructure. 20 Member States have included in their RRPs investments to deploy more than 1.13 [2] million charging points and -stations. Assuming each charging point can serve 8.5 vehicles a day, depending on the type of charger and the location, this could support around 9.6 million vehicles daily. As many of the RRPs will enable the construction of charging stations, rather than charging points, this number is likely to be higher.
| Figure 4: Projected charging points and stations for vehicles in the RRPs [Number] | |
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Estimated impact on pollution reduction
| Under the assumption that the procurement of zero-emissions vehicles replace, rather than displace, existing ICE vehicles, it could lead to significant reductions in particle pollution, particularly in larger, urban areas. Cleaner fleets in cities are estimated to reduce local air pollution. Replacing 1.13 million conventional vehicles with zero emission alternatives could eliminate 90 tonnes of fine particulate matter [3] from exhaust emissions annually — helping to improve air quality in cities and reduce pollution-related health risks. |
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Bicycle lanes
| The RRF includes investments to upgrade or build more than 5 700 km of new cycling routes. To put this in perspective, that is the same as adding over 200 km of cycle lanes in every EU capital city. In addition, they will create 14 800 new bicycle parking spaces to encourage a shift towards cycling and other active forms of transport. |
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Public buses
| In addition to the ambitious investments in private mobility, the RRF will improve the availability and sustainability of public transport. The RRF includes investments to deploy approximately 13 000 clean buses. In addition, more than 1 700 electric and hydrogen charging stations will be deployed to enable these buses to operate. |
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Rail Investment: Clean Transport Backbone
19 Member States have included investments to upgrade or construct approximately 17 000 km of railway infrastructure, including signalling and tramways in urban areas. This is complemented by the procurement of 1 700 clean rail rolling stock, which will facilitate a modal shift towards more accessible, sustainable ways of transport.
Reforms and Long-Term Impact: Laying the Foundation for Lasting Change
The full power of the Recovery and Resilience Facility lies not only in the investments it funds, but also in the reforms it enables. Investments go hand-in-hand with reforms. Across Member States, the RRF has accelerated changes to registration tax of vehicles, implement sustainable urban plans and to adopt standards on charging points and mobility.
More than 78 reforms, corresponding to almost 25% of the green reforms, are unlocking private investments, reducing regulatory barriers, and incentivising the use of sustainable transport which will also ensure that the benefits of the RRF extend well beyond 2026. Together, they form a lasting foundation for a clean and accessible European transport system.
To gain a fuller view of the RRFs impact across major green sectors, see also our factsheets on clean power and energy efficiency
The examples below aim to illustrative how structural reforms in the RRPs contribute to creating impacts beyond 2026 and the commitments outlined in the RRPs. While reforms have common features, they have to be tailor made for the situation of the Member State in questions and positively contribute to the investment that the Member State pursues.
Factsheet---mobib-atFactsheet---mobib-at 
Belgium's reforms on sustainable mobilityBelgium's reforms on sustainable mobility 
Denmark's green tax reform promoting EVsDenmark's green tax reform promoting EVs 
Italy's railway legislation simplificationItaly's railway legislation simplification 
Romania's sustainable urban mobility reformRomania's sustainable urban mobility reform
In a snapshot
The Recovery and Resilience Facility is playing a key role in encouraging Member States to develop transport systems that are safe, accessible, inclusive, affordable and emission-free. Even if only looking at the actually committed investments and not taking into account the very significant additional enabling effects of reforms regarding infrastructure and taxation to promote the use of public transport, the investments will lead to far-reaching results.
Footnotes
Note on methodology: This factsheet presents estimated results and impacts of selected RRF investments, going beyond reported outputs to assess the contribution to broader policy goals. The analysis is based on a structured review of RRP milestones and targets, using standardised conversion factors and assumptions to convert the physical outputs into meaningful impact indicators. These estimates are based on quantifiable commitments included in the RRPs. Additional RRPs may also have relevant investments contributing to the impacts, but where these cannot be quantified, they are not reflected here. This means that the estimates are likely underreported. The data cutoff is March 2025.
- [1] Divided between more than 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles and 147 000 low-emission vehicles. This number includes heavy-duty- and special purpose vehicles, including light commercial vehicles (N1), and trucks (N2 & N3). Buses are excluded. ⬆
- [2] 1.14 million charging stations when including charging infrastructure dedicated to buses ⬆
- [3] Assuming that the procurement of ZEVs replace, rather than displace, existing ICE vehicles. Based on Euro-6 emission standards for passenger cars (Category M). ⬆