European study exposes high and opaque charging prices
A study for the European Parliament finds major price differences between charging points and payment methods.
Charging electric cars in public is often more expensive and complicated in Europe than charging at home or at work. A study for the European Parliament warns that motorists cannot always see in advance what a charging session will ultimately cost.
The study by FIER Sustainable Mobility examined public charging prices, tariffs and payment methods in the European Union. According to the researchers, the same charging points can show different prices depending on the charging card, app or subscription used. As a result, motorists do not always know in advance what bill will follow.
According to the study, average prices for alternating-current charging range from around €0.27 to €0.65 per kilowatt-hour. For fast direct-current charging, the average is between around €0.32 and €0.85 per kilowatt-hour. The total observed range was even wider: at some charging points, prices of up to around €1.35 per kilowatt-hour were recorded.
In addition to the electricity price, fixed costs, start-up charges, time-based tariffs or occupancy charges may be included. These components are not always shown in the same place or in the same unit. Motorists who cannot charge at home or at work in particular depend on public charging points and therefore have fewer opportunities to choose a cheap provider.
The European regulation on alternative fuels stipulates that charging prices must be reasonable, transparent, comparable and non-discriminatory. The study concludes that practice does not always meet these requirements. The researchers call for clearer information before charging, simpler tariffs and better enforcement.
The European consumer organisation BEUC supports a similar approach in a policy paper on the revision of the rules. According to BEUC, all price components should be visible before and after a charging session. This is not only about protecting consumers, but also about maintaining confidence in electric driving.
The study is not an official finding that every high charging price is unlawful. The European Parliament stresses that it is an external analysis. The research does, however, give policymakers concrete indications for a market in which significantly different prices may apply to the same physical charging point.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The price ranges and policy conclusions were checked against the European Parliament summary. The text distinguishes between research findings and legal conclusions.
- confirmed According to the study, public charging is often more expensive than charging at home or at work. — Stated in the European Parliament summary. source
- confirmed Average AC prices range from around €0.27 to €0.65 per kWh. — Mentioned in the study. source
- confirmed The same charging point can produce different prices through different payment methods. — Described in the study and BEUC paper. source
- confirmed The external study does not itself determine which price is unlawful. — The European Parliament states that the analysis was prepared by an external author. source
Editor's note
The price ranges come from an external study for the European Parliament. The study identifies transparency problems, but does not itself determine which individual charging price is legally unlawful.Sources
- Pricing of E-Charging for Electric Cars and Onshore Power Supply in Ports — Europees Parlement
- Pricing of E-Charging for Electric Cars and Onshore Power Supply in Ports — At a Glance — Europees Parlement
- Roadmap for embedding user-friendly provisions in AFIR on public EV charging prices and data — BEUC
- Regulation on deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure — EUR-Lex
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