For anyone driving electric, where you charge is by far the biggest cost factor.
The difference between consistently charging at home and consistently charging publicly ranges, for an average user, from a few hundred to over a thousand euros per year. Here are the amounts and the deciding factors.
Home charging: the benchmark
Home charging at a fixed kWh price remains the cheapest way to charge an electric car in 2026. At a standard variable or CREG rate, the cost comes to around €0.28 to €0.38 per kWh, all components included. For an average electric car using 17 kWh per 100 km, that is €4.50 to €6.50 per 100 km.
With a dynamic energy rate and deliberate charging at hours with low market prices, typically at night and during sunny midday hours, you can push that down to €0.15 to €0.22 per kWh. The effect is real, but requires a smart charger that works with dynamic rates, and the discipline to actually use it. Read also capacity tariff and smart charging.
Public charging: a much wider spread
Public charging is more expensive on average, and the spread is large. An AC charger in a residential area costs, indicatively, between €0.42 and €0.71 per kWh with most charging cards, DC fast chargers between €0.55 and €0.89 per kWh.
The same charging point can differ sharply in final price between two charging cards, due to session fees, time surcharges and roaming margins.
Always check these amounts against your own provider’s current rate card. How to do that: public charging in Belgium.
Annual bill for 15,000 km
For someone driving 15,000 km per year and using 17 kWh per 100 km, so 2,550 kWh per year, the bill roughly looks like this:
What determines whether home charging is feasible for you?
A driveway or garage
Without your own parking space, home charging becomes practically impossible and you fall back on public or workplace charging.
The right contract
A dynamic rate only pays off if you can charge at home at flexible times.
An employer with split billing
For employees with a company car, the cost shifts entirely to the employer, provided there is a correct split billing arrangement.
The practical conclusion
Home charging is the cheapest solution in almost every scenario. Public charging need not be expensive with the right charging card strategy, but it is rarely cheaper than home charging. If you cannot install a home charger, a targeted audit of your charging cards and workplace charging usually delivers more than any other saving.
What a home charger costs is covered in what does it cost to install a charging station in 2026? For company cars: the TCO over 4 years.
What does charging really cost you?
We calculate based on your kilometres, your rate and your charging mix.
- Cost per 100 km in your situation
- Comparison of home, workplace and public charging
- Annual savings in euros
The prices in this article are indicative and based on rates at the time of publication. Energy prices and charging card rates change frequently.