The expanding market for electric mobility and its associated increasing electricity demand will affect the long term development of the European energy system. This effect depends on various framework conditions, such as the emission trading system, coupling requirements with renewable energy supplies, load shifting potentials, load infrastructure and the European transmission grid. Thus electric mobility will affect the investment strategies of energy utilities. This paper analyses the framework for electric mobility in Germany and introduces a model approach for an impact analysis of electric mobility on the European energy system based on an optimising energy system model. The electricity demand and load curve for electric mobility are derived and first results confirm the necessity for a European model approach in contrast to a national one in order to analyse these effects. Furthermore, results indicate that beside the market penetration, mainly the flexibility of charging intervals influences the impact of electric mobility on the energy system.