Charging stations: In the jungle of tariffs

383 tariffs from over 200 providers – choosing the wrong tariff can cost three times as much.

This article is part of the special topic Electromobility for trades and medium-sized businesses

Electricity comes from the socket, but costs vary. This also applies to the Charging currentwhen the mobile e-driver needs to go to a public charging station to refill the battery. 383 tariffs from over 200 different providers make the choice a torment – ​​and avoidable additional costs. This is what the Bonn-based consulting firm EUPD Research found that the respective average costs and the most expensive tariff are between 121 and 330 percent price increase.

Enormous price and usage differences 

For the third time, EUPD Research has published the study "Comparative analysis of mobile charging tariffs" Car electricity tariffs in Germany were examined. Although an initial effort to create uniform structures is discernible, the bottom line is that enormous price and usage differences remain. The current 383 offers differ, among other things, in the Billing models and Basic fees, in the Access to the charging station, in the Payment systems and in the Charging network coverage.

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For the study, EUPD created three different car models with corresponding driving profiles: Renault Zoe for infrequent drivers, VW ID.3 for the average driver and Audi e-tron for frequent driversThe selected models and driving profiles differ in technical details such as charging capacity, battery capacity, consumption per 100 km, and annual mileage, which significantly influences the choice of car electricity tariff.

The result

For Low-mileage drivers (5.000 kilometers annual performance) with a Renault Zoe can, in extreme cases, Costs by 330 percent so that the electricity costs per 100 kilometers will be 31 euros instead of seven. The average German driver with an annual mileage of 14.000 kilometers pays in the most expensive tariff for the VW ID.3 almost 1.200 euros more per year than the average of the tariffsWith a mileage of 30.000 kilometers, the driver of a Audi e-tron in the most expensive car electricity tariff 3.246 euros and thus 121 percent more than the average pay the tariffs.

Another result of the study was that tariff offers that can be booked and used throughout Germany with low AC and DC charging prices without additional roaming costs with good charging network coverage for all driving profiles. If e-car drivers already have an electricity or gas contract with energy suppliers or regional public utilities, or a membership, for example with the ADAC, they can cheaper car electricity tariff expected.